The dark and dusty 2014 Nerello Mascalese Vigna Vecchie smolders up with a blend of medicinal blackberries, cherries, balsam herbs and licorice. This flows across the palate like pure silk, yet with building tension. Tart wild berry fruits saturate, and a nervous acidity puckers the cheeks. The 2014 tapers off staining, long and structured, as a coating of fine tannin resonates, and violet inner florals fade. At times, the 2014 reminds me more of a Barolo than a Nerello Mascalese. However, now almost ten years old, it still requires cellaring to come fully into balance. -- Eric Guido

Here's a new submission from Calabretta with fruit from old vines. The 2014 Nerello Mascalese Vigne Vecchie shows medium dark concentration and a richer color than you might expect of this usually quite transparent Sicilian variety. Enhanced color saturation is one of the unique characteristics of the vintage. With dried cherry, cola and sweet plum, the wine shows medium intensity on the mid-palate. It is drinking nicely right now with silky tannins. A tiny 2% of Nerello Cappuccio is present, from old vines in Calderara Sottana and Taccione. - Monica Larner