MENU

TENUTA TASCANTE

SICILY

TENUTA TASCANTE

SICILY



VISIT WINERY WEBSITE


DOWNLOADS WINERY BIO

WINERY PRESENTATION


SHELF TALKERS

BUILD SHELF TALKER

ABOUT THE WINERY

Sicily’s star is ascendant in the wine community, and it seems that when anyone looks at Sicily these days, their eyes are immediately drawn to the island’s most prominent topographic feature, the great volcano Mount Etna. Etna wines are almost as hot as the lava inside that peak, metaphorically speaking. Sicily has been well known as a major source of Italian wine forever, but until relatively recently it was viewed as a producer of bulk wines for export or cheap everyday wines. With the revolution in quality that has taken place on the island in the past decade, though, that reputation has been turned on its head, and Sicilian wines are being sought out by wine buyers and consumers—none more so than the wines of Etna. 

The Tasca d'Almerita family, one of Sicily's oldest and most esteemed wine families, is now led by seventh generation Alberto Tasca. The family, who has been making wine across Sicily for over 200 years, is a leading producer of Etna wines at its Tenuta Tascante estate (the name is a portmanteau of Tasca and Etna).  The estate was founded in 2007 with the purchase of two vineyards in the communes of Castiglione di Sicilia and Randazzo on the north face of the volcano. The northern exposure is a cool-climate area, due to the combination of elevation and less direct sun, which helps to retain acidity in the wines. 

The Tasca family currently owns four parcels, located in the contrade of Pianodario and Sciaranova in Randazzo, and Rampante and Grasà in Castiglione. (A contrada is a small subdivision of a commune, based on various defining criteria such as elevation, cultural/historical significance, or the age of past lava flows.) The vineyards are mostly at elevations of 2,450 to 2,600 feet (750–800 meters) on the 11,000-foot mountain. All are certified as sustainable under SOStain, a Sicilian-based program that rates wineries and vineyards based on their impact on the environment, in conjunction with the Italian Ministry of the Environment’s VIVA indicators of sustainability.

READ MORE

DOWNLOADS WINERY BIO

WINERY PRESENTATION


SHELF TALKERS

BUILD SHELF TALKER
WINERY LOCATION: Castiglione di Sicilia (Catania province), Sicily
REGION: Etna DOC, Sicilia DOC
VINEYARD LAND: 35 acres (14 ha)
FARMING PRACTICES: Sustainable - SOStain Certified
GRAPE VARIETIES: Nerello Mascalese and Carricante with smaller amounts of Nerello Capuccio and Chardonnay
WINE STYLES: Dry white, dry rosé and dry red
TOTAL WINE PRODUCTION: 81,000 bottles (61,000 liters)
YEAR FOUNDED: 2007
OWNER(S): The Tasca Family
WINEMAKER(S): Laura Orsi

WINES

TENUTA TASCANTE “BUONORA” ETNA DOC

Buonora is Tenuta Tascante’s white wine from Mount Etna’s indigenous Carricante grape variety. Historically prized for its high acidity and abundant productivity, Carricante is a multi-faceted grape that ripens late and gains complexity with aging.  Grapes for the Tenuta Tascante Buonora are sourced from cool-climate vineyards on the north and east faces of the volcano’s slopes.

TENUTA TASCANTE “GHIAIA NERA” ETNA DOC

The Tascante Ghiaia Nera is a cuvee of Nerello Mascalese from three incredibly biodiverse Etna Contrade vineyards on the north side of Mt. Etna – Piano Dario, Rampante and Sciaranuova.  Surrounded by chestnut trees and downy oak, these terraced volcanic vineyard sites produce supremely balanced wines that embody the freshness and restrained power for which Etna is known.  Ghiaia Nera is our purest expression of the DOC.

TENUTA TASCANTE CONTRADA PIANODARIO ETNA DOC

Mt Etna, Europe's largest active volcano, is situated on the eastern side of Sicily and is home of some of Italy's most dramatic wine landscapes. The Etna DOC is divided into 132 Contrade, or wine districts, that are distinguished by different volcanic soil formations. Contrada Pianodario is located at 2,400 feet above sea level between the town of Randazzo and Montelaguardia. The nine acres of vineyards are characterized by terraces of dry stone walls with an average slope of 7% and the volcanic soil formations in the vineyards date from 4,000 to 30,000 years ago.  Tenuta Tascante Contrada Pianodario is 100% Nerello Mascalese aged one year in large Slavonian oak cask of 25 hl.

TENUTA TASCANTE CONTRADA RAMPANTE ETNA DOC

Mt Etna, Europe's largest active volcano, is situated on the eastern side of Sicily and is home of some of Italy's most dramatic wine landscapes. The Etna DOC is divided into 132 Contrade, or wine districts.  Each Contrada is characterized by its soil components and the age of the lava formations in the vineyards. Tasca works in four Contrade located on the northern side of Mt. Etna. Contrada Rampante is located between Passopisciaro and Randazzo and is an 11 acre vineyard that has large dry-stone wall terraces at an average slope of 4.7% with volcanic formations that date from 4,000 - 15,000 years ago. Contrada Rampante is 100% Nerello Mascalese aged 12 months in 25 hl Slavonia oak casks.

TENUTA TASCANTE CONTRADA SCIARANUOVA ETNA DOC

Mt Etna, Europe's largest active volcano, is situated on the eastern side of Sicily and is home of some of Italy's most dramatic wine landscapes. The Etna DOC is divided into 132 Contrade, or wine districts, that are distinguished by different volcanic soil formations. The Tasca family works in four Contrade all located on the north side of Mt. Etna. Contrada Sciaranuova is located between Montelaguardia and Passopisciaro and is home to 12 acres of vineyards, planted in 2008, and more than 17 acres of chestnut groves. It is marked by its steep grade of 8.5% with volcanic formations with origins between 4,000 and 40,000 years ago. Tenuta Tascante Contrada Sciaranuova is 100% Nerello Mascalese fermented in stainless steel and aged partly in large Slavonian oak cask and part in French oak barrique.

TENUTA TASCANTE CONTRADA SCIARANUOVA VIGNA VECCHIA ETNA DOC

Mt Etna, Europe's largest active volcano, is situated on the eastern side of Sicily and is home of some of Italy's most dramatic wine landscapes. The Etna DOC is divided into 132 Contrade, or wine districts, that are distinguished by different volcanic soil formations.  Contrada Sciaranuova is located between Montelaguardia and Passopisciaro.  With an area of 35 acres total and 12 acres of vineyards, the volcanic soil formations found in Sciaranuova date back 40,000 years. Tenuta Tascante Contrada Sciaranuova Vigna Vecchia (old vine) is produced from the portion of the vineyards that were planted in 1960. Made from 100% Nerello Mascalese, the wine is aged for one year in large Slavonian oak cask and smaller French oak tonneaux.

TENUTA TASCANTE "TEFRA" ROSATO ETNA DOC

The name Tefra is derived from the Greek word Tephra, meaning ashes.  The term refers to the explosively erupted, pyroclastic stones and soils from volcanic eruptions found in the vineyards of Mt. Etna.

LOCATION


WINERY:
Castiglione di Sicilia (Catania province), Sicily

VINEYARD:
Mount Etna, Sicily

VIEW IN GOOGLE MAPS

REGION DETAILS

FEATURED
PRESS

NEWS AND REVIEWS FROM OUR FRIENDS IN THE INDUSTRY



VIEW ALL REVIEWS
94
OCTOBER 2019
Tenuta Tascante Contrada Sciaranuova Etna DOC 2016

The 2016 Etna Rosso Contrada Sciaranuova is made with fruit from vines planted in 2008 at 730 meters above sea level. This is a classic expression from Etna with an even dose of wild berry, rose, mineral and spice. This wine shows an attractive level of balance and harmony, and I am especially attracted to those distinctive volcanic or mineral tones that frame this delicate, almost fragile wine. This Etna Rosso is mostly aged in large Slavonian oak casks, but a small part goes into 300-liter tonneaux. This adds a bit more volume and girth to the finish. Production is 5,000 bottles.

NOVEMBER 2022
Tenuta Tascante Contrada Rampante Etna DOC 2019
96
JANUARY 2020
Tenuta Tascante Contrada Pianodario Etna DOC 2016

Underbrush, wild berry, blue flower, camphor and wet stone aromas lift out of the glass. The smooth palate is loaded with finesse, delivering succulent red cherry, strawberry compote, blood orange, star anise and a hint of tobacco framed in taut, polished tannins. Bright acidity keeps it beautifully balanced, and a tangy mineral note graces the close. Drink 2023–2036.

92
JUNE 2021
Tenuta Tascante Contrada Sciaranuova Vigna Vecchia Etna DOC 2017

The 2017 Contrada Sciaranuova Etna Rosso V.V. pulls you close with a darkly alluring bouquet of crushed ashen stone, violets, fresh blackberries and savory exotic spice. It’s silky and pliant in feel, yet it quickly firms up through a display of tart woodland berries, minerals and brisk acids. A coating of grippy tannin emerges through the finale, creating a classically dry and youthfully tense sensation, as hints of licorice and balsamic-tinged fruits slowly dissipate. While I don’t see this as a wine to hold over the long term, a few years in the cellar will help it soften a bit. I look forward to tasting this same bottling from a more classic vintage. The V.V. hails from 60-year-old vines in the Sciaranuova vineyard, refined in 25-hectoliter Slavonian oak casks for 12 months.

91
JUNE 2021
Tenuta Tascante "Tefra" Rosato Etna DOC 2020

A delicate display of white flowers, crushed stone and peach skins wafts up from the 2020 Tefra. This incredibly pretty Nerello Mascalese Rosato pleases all the senses, as silky textures give way to citrus-laced orchard fruits, melon and sweet inner herbal tones. Residual acids linger, maintaining freshness through a finish of salty persistence. Make sure to give the Tefra a little time to unwind in the glass, as it seemed to get better and better each time I revisited it.

91
JUNE 2022
Tenuta Tascante “Ghiaia Nera” Etna DOC 2019

The 2019 Etna Rosso Ghiaia Nera is smoky with a herbal tinge that further grounds it in the earth. Sour cherries mix with hints of camphor, cedar and sage as this opens in the glass. It’s soft-textured with a pleasant burst of juicy acids up front that propel its pure red berry fruits and rosy inner floral tones. The Ghiaia Nera finishes lightly structured and tense, yet long and remarkably pretty.

92
AUGUST 2022
Tenuta Tascante "Tefra" Rosato Etna DOC 2021

A delicious, creamy-textured rosé with orange-peel and light crabapple character. It's medium-bodied with nice texture and a flavorful finish. Tensioned and focused. Drink now.

91
JUNE 2021
Tenuta Tascante “Buonora” Etna DOC 2020

Flinty, floral and wickedly fresh, the 2020 Etna Bianco Buonora shows dusty dried flowers, incense, ginger and a balancing note of raw honey. It’s soft-textured and pliant, balanced by an almost salty savoriness, as orchard fruits and herbal tones wash across the palate. Hints of crushed almond and pear linger through the mouthwatering finale as this remarkably pretty Carricante tapers off with tension. A pretty wine and a great value as well.