Ayunta 2021 Narello Mascalese Rosso

The Wine

This wine is 100% Nerello Mascalese, the grape Ayunta uses in crafting their triumvirate of white, rose and red wines, each made with progressively more skin contact to lend increasing amounts of color to the wine. Though the wine label doesn't indicate the location of the vines, they are from vineyards located in the Etna DOC.

The age of the se low-yielding vines, combined with late-October harvest resulted in grapes with great complexity and concentration. While this could lead to a ponderous wine better for brooding conversation than joy and lightness, Ayunta used carbonic maceration on a portion of the grapes to lighten the mood. This fermentation technique brings high-toned notes of red fruits like cherry and strawberry candies and, when blended with the traditionally fermented wine, creates a delicoius synergy.

Oh, and of course, the traditional fermentation took place in neutral tanks using only ambient yeasts that better reflect the flavors of Ayunta's little piece of heaven. 

The Winery

Filippo Ayunta runs this small family vineyard (~7acres) of old vines (50 - 100 years old) planted in Etna's famed volcanic soils at about 2,100 feet of elevation. They define their natural/sustainable approach as 'only grapes + time. We release our wines only once ready.'