Every so often when tasting wines, you come across one, like this grand one, that makes you wonder why you hadn’t known about it sooner. Well, in this case it is because the wine comes from an obscure grape planted on a volcanic island little known for red wines. One taste of the wine will have you running to discover more. Tenuta di Castellaro is located on Lipari Island, just off the coast of Sicily and known best for Malvasia delle Lipari, a DOC sweet wine. I had never heard of the Corinto grape, nor did I know that the island produced red wine. Tenuta di Castellaro’s Corinto is a denser and darker—more black-fruited—version of their excellent Nero Ossidiana. An appealing tar-like volcanic, mineral element balances and amplifies the black fruit notes. Its firm texture supports its more muscular frame, yet it is still not particularly tannic, which means the 2021 is a delight to enjoy now. I have no experience with how wines from the Corinto grape might develop with bottle age, but it grows in the glass and its elegance and balance suggests it has a long life, so maybe put a couple of bottles in a corner of your cellar as well.
96 Michael Apstein – May 14, 2025