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Skurnik
The Wine
A beautiful expression of Nerello Mascalese from the northern slopes of Mount Etna. The color is pale ruby with a hint of garnet, foretelling the wine's delicacy. Aromas of red cherry, wild strawberry, pomegranate, and blood orange, followed by rose petal, dried herbs, and Mt Etna's soil signature - hints of warm ash and crushed lava stone.
The palate is crisp, with bright red fruit supported by firm but approachable tannins and the crispness typical of wines from Etna’s high‑altitude vineyards. A savory thread runs through the wine - white pepper, dried herbs, and a touch of iron. The blends mineral and saline notes, with the unmistakable ashiness of volcanic soils.
Pairings: Roast pork, roasted herbed chicken, lamb with garlic and rosemary, mushroom dishes, and tomato‑based pastas. Cheeses such as aged Pecorino, Piave, and semi‑firm Alpine styles like Fontina or Toma.
The Winery
Tenuta delle Terre Nere is a benchmark producer on Mount Etna. Founder Marco de Grazia helped bring the region’s wines to international prominence.
The estate farms numerous high‑altitude parcels—many of them old or ancient vines—across the northern face of the volcano, in contrade such as Calderara Sottana, Guardiola, Santo Spirito, and Feudo di Mezzo. These sites sit on varied layers of decomposed lava, ash, pumice, and sand, giving each bottling its own distinct mineral profile.
Farming is organic and increasingly regenerative, with a focus on preserving soil life and respecting the fragile, terraced vineyards. Many parcels are planted to ungrafted (self-rooted), pre‑phylloxera vines, tended by hand due to the steep slopes and stone terraces. In the cellar, the approach is restrained: native fermentations, gentle extraction, and aging in neutral barrels and large casks to preserve transparency and site expression.
Terre Nere’s philosophy centers on purity, precision, and the articulation of Etna’s extraordinary terroir. The wines consistently show the combination of aromatic lift, mineral tension, and quiet power that has made Etna one of Italy’s most compelling regions.
