Girolamo Russo 'A'Rina' Mount Etna 2020

The Girolamo Russo 2020 Etna Rosso 'a Rina has a wild, almost unruly character, and it stands out in this flight of releases from Giuseppe Russo. It is more open-knit in texture and more accessible overall with wild berry, white pepper, ashy soils and pressed lavender. It carries light fruit with lean concentration. This entry-level red usually sees a touch of Nerello Cappuccio in the blend, and that's where that peppery component comes from.

92 pts Vinous
The 2020 Etna Rosso a'Rina is as pretty visually as it is aromaticity, with a translucent ruby color and alluring bouquet of sweet smoke and mint that deepens, as nuances of clove give way to black cherry. This is soft-textured yet energetic in feel, casting red wild berries across a core of zesty acidity, as inner rose and violet tones cascade throughout. The 2020 finishes a bit grippy and potent, yet lively, with a cheek-puckering tug of tension that keeps me looking back to the glass for more. The a'Rina is Giuseppe Russo’s “entry-level” red, yet there’s really nothing “entry-level” about it. It’s a blend of 94% Nerello Mascalese and 6% Nerello Cappuccio that’s refined in a combination of neutral French Barriques and Tonneaux.