Girolamo Russo
Etna Rosato 2025
| Denomination | DOC Etna Rosato |
|---|---|
| Size | 0,75 l |
| Alcohol content | 12.5% by volume |
| Area | Sicily (Italy) |
| Grape varieties | 100% Nerello Mascalese |
| Aging | 6 months in steel |
- Appellation: Etna Rosé wine with controlled designation of origin (DOC), 2025 vintage, 12.5% vol
- Grape variety: 100% Nerello Mascalese from Contrada San Lorenzo on the northern slopes of Mount Etna
- Vineyards: 80-year-old vines at 700m on sandy volcanic soil; yield of 50 q/ha
- Vinification: Hand-harvested; spontaneous fermentation with indigenous yeasts at 15°C
- Profile: 6 months in stainless steel; powder pink colour; raspberry aromas; 94 pt James Suckling
Description
Type of wine
Girolamo Russo's Etna Rosato is a still wine that interprets the essence of the Sicilian territory. Produced from Nerello Mascalese grapes grown with an artisanal approach, it presents with a powder-pink colour profile. Fragrances of cherry, strawberry and raspberry blend with subtle spicy notes of white pepper. On the palate, it offers a vibrant and precise sip, defined by a fresh and elegant style and a savoury finish—features that have allowed this wine to stand out for its superior quality.
Origin
The grapes come from Contrada San Lorenzo, located at an altitude of approximately seven hundred metres on the northern slope of the volcano. The historic eighty-year-old vines grow on sandy volcanic soil, rich in minerals that give the wine a taut and deep gustatory texture. The plants, trained using the bush-vine (alberello) and espalier systems, ensure low yields to encourage the concentration of the bunches. The synergy between altitude, northern exposure and lava soils defines the character of the Nerello Mascalese, giving this Etna Rosato a distinct aromatic purity and an unmistakable expressive precision.
Production method
Harvesting is carried out manually, selecting the bunches directly in the vineyard. In the cellar, whole-bunch pressing is accompanied by a brief maceration on the skins, ideal for extracting aromas and colour with extreme delicacy. This is followed by spontaneous fermentation triggered by indigenous yeasts, conducted without malolactic fermentation to preserve the integrity of the acidity. The process concludes with ageing in stainless steel for several months, a choice aimed at enhancing the fragrance of the fruit and the authentic character of the slope of origin.
History and interesting facts
This artisanal masterpiece originates at an altitude of 700 metres on the slopes of the volcano, the result of 80-year-old vines organically grown. The wine was awarded 94 points by James Suckling.
Awards
-
2025
93/100
James Suckling is an influential American wine critic and journalist who worked at Wine Spectator for 30 years. He left the magazine in 2010 to start his own website and guidebook (JamesSuckling.com). He specialises in Italian and Bordeaux wines.
-
2025
92/100
The prestigious international wine guide from the renowned Robert Parker, the world's most experienced and trusted wine taster.
-
2025
91/100
Vinous is the online guide from Antonio Galloni, one of the world's leading wine connoisseurs.
-
2025
90/100
Wine spectator is the most influential wine guide on the internet.
Tasting notes
Perfume
Color
Taste
Serve at:
10 - 12 °C
Longevity:
05 - 10 years
- Start up year: 2005
- Oenologist: Emiliano Falsini
- Bottles produced: 70.000
- Hectares: 18
This is the north face of Europe’s largest active volcano, Mount Etna, in the north-eastern corner of Sicily.
The Russos have 26 hectares of land in and around Passopisciaro, with 15 hectares of vineyards surrounded by olive and hazelnut groves. The vineyards are high up, between 650 and 780 metres above sea level, inland from the beautiful town of Taormina. Many of the free-standing bush vines are over 80 years old, surviving in harmony with Etna’s black, mineral-rich volcanic soil.
Giuseppe works the vineyards organically and makes the wines himself. He vinifies each parcel separately, seeking out their individual identities in a series of wines that reflect the diverse character of their terroirs.
Some lava flows are very recent, too recent even to plant on.
The area is broken up into sectors known as ‘contradas’. Each contrada has a name and is linked to one of Etna’s townships. Read more
| Name | Girolamo Russo Etna Rosato 2025 |
|---|---|
| Type | Rosé green still |
| Denomination | Etna DOC |
| Vintage | 2025 |
| Size | 0,75 l |
| Alcohol content | 12.5% by volume |
| Grape varieties | 100% Nerello Mascalese |
| Country | Italy |
| Region | Sicily |
| Vendor | Girolamo Russo |
| Story | History and interesting facts This artisanal masterpiece originates at an altitude of 700 metres on the slopes of the volcano, the result of 80-year-old vines organically grown. The wine was awarded 94 points by James Suckling. |
| Origin | San Lorenzo district, northern slope of Mount Etna (700 m above sea level) |
| Soil composition | Volcanic, sandy soil, rich in minerals |
| Cultivation system | Bush vine and trellis-modified bush vine training systems |
| Plants per hectare | 5,500 |
| Yield per hectare | 50 quintals per hectare |
| Harvest | Manual, first days of October |
| Fermentation temperature | 15 degrees Celsius |
| Production technique | Spontaneous fermentation with indigenous (natural) yeasts |
| Wine making | Fermentation conducted spontaneously by yeasts naturally present on the grapes, with 6 months of ageing in stainless steel. |
| Aging | 6 months in steel |
| Allergens | Contains sulphites |