County Business Club Wine of the Month January 2022

Ciaurìa Mount Etna Rosso

As we move into mid winter, I am always drawn to a nice flavoursome red, typically from Italy, France or Spain. A good red wine is the ideal accompaniment to a roaring fire and some hearty food whilst we wait for spring to arrive. This month I have chosen a Southern Italian red from the island of Sicily called Ciaurìa Mount Etna Rosso. 

Background to Italian reds and specifically Sicilian Mount Etna wine

Italy is famous for it’s red wines which are grown across the country, the terroir is perfect for making a range of wines. Other famous reds which I love from Italy are;

• Barolo – lovely aged wines from Piedmonte in North West Italy which uses the Nebbiolo grape 

• Chianti – fruity Classic or Reserva wines from Western Italy using the popular Sangiovese grape

• Nero D’Avola – rich dark fruits and higher alcohol wines from Sicily   

The Mount Etna wines are also grown on the island of Sicily so if you have ever been to Catania or Palermo then you may have been offered one or more of these wines as the house red. Mount Etna Rosso wines are grown on the slopes of the 3300 metre active volcano which means that the wines are grown in a colder climate with lots of sunshine. This, together with the regular mountain mist, protects the grapes from too much heat from the searing sunshine and retains it’s elegance. Mount Etna wines have great character, have a good level of alcohol but are light enough to enjoy a glass without food. 

Michael’s tasting notes

A light body with lots of character. Red fruits on the nose and cherry and strawberry with a hint of vanilla and pepper on the taste. Even though 14% volume, it is a very easy wine to drink.

The wine makers notes for this wine ;

I started to produce a simpler Etna Rosso, which wants to be the daily wine, to be tasted every day, and which every day brings us back to the aromas and flavours of Nerello Mascalese that grows on the slopes of Etna. A wine that, as they say in Sicily, “Ciaurìa” from Etna. A wine that impresses with its disarming yet not banal simplicity. A magic that is consumed only when you meet an extraordinary grape variety with a unique territory. 

Food pairings

From the winemaker – Ciaurìa goes well with dishes of land, of all seasons, typical of Etna, and with a careful serving temperature, even with some fish dishes. 

My preference is to serve with a nice beef or wild boar ragu and paradelle pasta. 

Key facts for Ciauria Mt Etna Rosso

Altitude of vineyard – 750 m

Type of terrain – Black earth, porous and deep soil composed of volcanic ash, with traces of sand, rich in minerals

Grape variety – Nerello Mascalese 

Harvest time – Mid October

Maturation – Refinement in bottles – minimum 6 months

Production – just 4000 bottles (750ml)

This wine can be purchased from Brighton and Hove Wine Club at £15.50 a bottle or £93 for a case of 6 plus delivery. For more details www.brightonandhovewineclub.co.uk or Social – @brightonandhovewineclub

Fact of the month for Italian Wines
The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry in Italy has authorized over 350 different grape varieties but there are over 500 different kinds of grapes in circulation within the country. In comparison, almost 100% of France’s wine only comes from about 60 different grapes.

Michael Yeoman, brightonandhovewineclub.co.uk

Michael Yeoman owns Brighton and Hove Wine Club and also creates a range of Sussex spirits using the pomace from English wine production. He specialises in working with small batch wine producers in and around Sussex and the South Downs.