#453 100 Grapes - Nerello Mascalese

To further my experiences of grape varieties, I'm going to try and taste a hundred different grape varieties between now and the end of the year, and learn a bit about them as well.  Some will be well known varieties, but the majority will hopefully be the stranger, less well known grapes from more obscure countries.  To qualify, they have to be at least 85% of this grape variety (the amount that allows a wine to be classified as a single varietal) but where possible, I'll try and make it entirely out of this varietal.  so to start - Nerello Mascalese.

This grape is originates from the Mascari plain in Catania on the east coast of Sicily.  it is used in the Etna Rosso DOC, to give colour and alcohol.  It is related to Sangiovese, so it is thought that it is a crossing of Sangiovese and another unknown variety.  Nerello Cappuccio, from the north east of the island, is thought to be of superior quality.

The wine I tried was the 2010 il Passo Nerello Mascalese from Vigneti Zabu.  It had Marionberry salt water taffy aromas with some sweeter dark berry fruit.  A little dark, aniseed element emerge from the nose as well.  The palate is big, gutsy with some dark, sweet, earthy, garden mulch like flavours.  A lot of spice and alcohol, quite concentrated with some leathery texture and a bit of black pudding spicy flavour.  Long finish, that dries giving a cherry stone flavour.  88pts