Tenuta di Fessina "Erse" Etna Rosso '22

Mount Etna is one of the most dramatic wine regions in Europe: high-elevation vineyards planted on the slopes of an active volcano, where black lava stones, ash, and sand create naturally draining soils and a distinctly mineral edge. Despite Sicily’s reputation for warmth, Etna’s altitude and exposure bring cool nights and long growing seasons—one of the reasons Etna Rosso can feel so lifted and refined, more about aroma and savor than weight.

Tenuta di Fessina was founded in 2007 in the hamlet of Rovittello on Etna’s northeastern side, built around a historic property and a clear mission to express the volcano through its native varieties. Today they farm roughly 9.7 hectares in Rovittello, along with about 5.7 hectares on Etna’s eastern side, between Milo and Biancavilla—a range of exposures that lets them capture different facets of the mountain.

“Erse” is Fessina’s workhorse red—the bottle that delivers Etna character with everyday drinkability, produced at about 2,000 cases. Even so, it’s not a “bulk” wine: Erse is sourced from a single 2.4-hectare vineyard with vines planted in 1950, giving the wine an old-vine depth and natural balance that’s hard to fake. In the cellar, the approach stays classic and clean: gentle handling, a relatively short maceration to keep the wine vibrant, and élevage that preserves freshness and clarity rather than leaning on heavy oak.

In the glass, Erse shows Etna’s signature mix of wild berries and sour cherry, hints of crushed spice and dried herbs, and that subtle volcanic “stone” savor that makes the region so distinctive. The tannins are present but polished, and the finish stays fresh and lifted. Pair it with linguaglossa sausage, the classic pork sausage of Etna that has lots of fennel seeds and black pepper incorporated.