Etna Bianco Doc Nerina 2018 - Girolamo Russo

The wine is called Nerina, in honor of Giuseppe's mother who has been running the company founded by his father Girolamo since 2004. A white wine of great typicality that reflects the historical tradition of Etna white. The lava soil gives fine mineral nuances that enrich the fine floral bouquet. The color of the wine is a beautiful straw yellow with golden reflections. The nose starts with smoky notes, of dull match and in general it is the minerality that dominates. Then comes the fruit with citrus peel, ripe pear and then aromatic herbs and yellow flowers... Such a composite and elegant nose is counterpointed by a vigorous, intense and somewhat broad softness on the palate. Yet the acidity is very present and gives freshness and verticality to the development.

Jerome Russo

Stretching out on the northern slope of Etna, between 650 and 780 meters, the company owns 15 hectares of vineyards, framed by hazelnut and olive groves. In 2005 Giuseppe Russo renovated it, giving it his father's name and preserving the legacy of his family, native of Passopisciaro, one of the villages at the center of the rebirth of the great red wines of Etna. Giuseppe and his collaborators cultivate the vines using organic methods, according to peasant tradition: the one that has allowed vineyards that are even a century old to reach the present day. And so the ancient sapling systems, together with the new rows, are worked mainly by hand: short pruning, plowing, hoeing, tying, sulfur and copper. The vines are mostly very old, and some are over 100 years old. Their roots are sunk in a terrain that is unique in the world: in the many layers of lava that the great volcano has erupted over the millennia, and each lava holds a different treasure trove of minerals for the grapes.