Fabio Costantino bristled when he was introduced as a Sicilian producer, remarking succinctly and pointedly, “Etna, not Sicily.” After tasting their wines, it is easy to understand why he called Etna “an island on an island.” The successive layers and flows of lava create enormous diversity of terroir, which has allowed the locals to create 133+ contrada or geographic areas, whose size range wildly. To put the name of an individual contrada on the label, regulations require that all the grapes come from that contrada. Fabio’s father, Dino, started buying vineyards in the Contrada Blandano in 1970. Thirty years later, in 2000, Terra Constantino became the first organic winery on Etna, according to their website. Etna Rosso Reserva is a rare commodity because regulations require producers to wait five years before release, which explains why this stunning 2018 is the one currently available. A traditional blend of Nero Mascalese (90%) and Nero Cappuccio, the midweight 2018 displays a plethora of lava-like minerality and bright red fruitiness. The firm, yet not hard, texture makes it a perfect choice with grilled tuna. Don’t be misled by its pale color. It explodes on the palate.
93 Michael Apstein – June 11, 2025