Girolamo Russo 'A Rina Etna Rosso 2016

'A Rina is the estate-level Etna Rosso from Girolamo Russo, sourced from organically farmed vineyards on the northern slopes of Mount Etna near Passopisciaro in the Province of Catania. The vineyards sit between 650 and 780 meters above sea level, rooted in ancient lava flows called sciare — basalt-derived soils that are mineral-rich, fast-draining, and low in organic matter. Vine age ranges from 20 to over 80 years, trained as free-standing bush vines (alberello) on narrow terraced plots.

The 2016 vintage on Etna was defined by a cool, refreshing summer with well-timed rainfall, delivering grapes with strong aromatic freshness, brilliant color, and balanced tannins without excessive alcohol. 'A Rina is fermented in small, separate lots using indigenous yeasts with no temperature control, 10 to 12 days of skin maceration with punch-downs, and no fining or filtration. The wine sees aging in large oak vessels before bottling unfined.

This is a rare allocation: the California importer and distributor limits accounts to one case per account. James Suckling rated the 2016 vintage of 'A Rina 94 points, citing cranberries, red licorice, fresh herbs, and tobacco with soft, velvety tannins and a long finish. The wine sits at 14% ABV — high for an estate-level wine but consistent with Etna's riper northern contrade in a warm late-harvest year.