2011 Vigna Barbagalli
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Tasting notes
From Rampante, at 900 m. pH 3.6, RS 0.4 g/l. 100% Nerello Mascalese. A little more bricky than the Benanti wine. And smells much more mature, even given that it is two years older. Some undergrowth and still some sweet cherry but much more mature. More savoury on the palate, with those autumn-leaf flavours, tea-leaf too. Mature and mushroomy. Still has that chalky texture and freshness. This bottle seems to be developing relatively quickly? (JH)
Critic scores
Average Score
Jancis Robinson MW
Julia Harding MW, jancisrobinson.com
More reviews and scores
Mid ruby. Luscious and beguiling but not quite as complex as the 2010. Lovely ripeness with a fresh finish. Long. Precise and pretty fresh and concentrated. (JR)
The 2011 Etna Rosso Vigna Barbagalli was a difficult wine for me to score given the wide bottle variation I encountered. Fruit is sourced from 100-year-old vines planted without rootstock on the northern slopes of Etna at 900 meters above sea level. The wine is not completely transparent and the aromas take a few moments of aeration before they develop. There is dried fruit, cassis, mineral, ash, pressed rose petal and dusty earth. Dry tannins form a firm backbone that holds the wine together. It might just need a few years in the cellar to sort itself out. Drink 2016-2020. Located in Solicchiata, Michele Faro is among the new faces on Etna and a member of the fledgling group winemakers known as the “Etna Boys.” The estate was founded in 2005 and has 11 hectares of vineyard on the north face of Etna ranging from 600 to 900 meters above sea level. Pietradolce was developed with the help of consulting oenologist Carlo Ferrini. Importer: Empson USA, www.empsonusa.com