2023 Tenuta delle Terre Nere 'San Lorenzo' Etna Rosso Sicily

Winemaker Notes:  The terroir in contrada San Lorenzo is originated by lava flows and volcanoclastic deposits related to the explosive activity of the the Ellittico eruptive center, which dates back from 60,000 to 15,000 years ago. Although very young by geological standards, the soils from the Ellittico eruption are the oldest superficial strata in which one may plant on Etna. The reason is simple: millennia of lava flows have buried all older soils, leaving, in fact, only very small and rare parcels of Ellittico soils. On the northern slopes of Etna there are four or five Contrade that have terroir from the Ellittico. Three, however, have mixed soils, blending soil from Ellittico of igneous nature with alluvial soils of sedimentary nature due to the overflowing of the Alcantara river. Only two Contrade out of hundreds and hundreds are “pure” terroir Ellittico: Calderara and San Lorenzo.

CRITICAL ACCLAIM


James Suckling - #23 Top 100 Wines of the World 2025 - "The remarkable floral style includes bright, leesy character, deep blood oranges, red cherries and cinnamon. Fleshy palate with full body, crisp and refreshing acidity and velvety tannins with a slightly dusty yet ripe texture. Very well-packed, fine-tuned and long. Drinkable now but best from 2026."


Vinous - "The 2023 Etna Rosso San Lorenzo is surprisingly rich and spicy in this vintage. Cloves and cinnamon sticks combine with hints of cherry sauce and blood orange. This is elegant in style, with seamlessly silken textures and depths of ripe red berry fruits that saturate the palate in primary concentration. Powerful and potent, the 2023 finishes with extreme length and a staining of liquid lavender that lingers for well over a minute. The 2023 is unlike any San Lorenzo I've yet tasted. This has unbelievable depth."