2021 Girolamo Russo " Feudo" Etna Rosso, Sicily, Italy

ABOUT THIS WINE

Sourced exclusively from the Feudo vineyard in the Contrada of San Lorenzo—one of Etna’s most revered crus—this wine is made from 100% Nerello Mascalese. The vines here are over 70 years old, growing at an altitude of 650–670 meters on the north-facing slope of Mount Etna. The soils are a mix of lava ash, pumice, and sandy volcanic sediment, which impart the wine’s hallmark minerality and tension.

Farming is done organically, and Giuseppe Russo applies a restrained hand in the cellar. Fermentation takes place with indigenous yeasts in stainless steel tanks. Aging follows in large, neutral Slavonian oak casks (20–25hl) for about 14–16 months, allowing the terroir to take center stage.

Compared to ’A Rina, Feudo is more structured, vertical, and focused—designed for aging, yet surprisingly accessible in its youth. It pairs seamlessly with refined dishes such as duck breast, pork tenderloin with herbs, or Sicilian sausage with fennel. A profound interpretation of a single volcanic site.

ABOUT THIS PRODUCER

Girolamo Russo is the creation of Giuseppe Russo, who left behind a career in classical music to take over his family vineyards in 2005. Based in Passopisciaro, on the cooler, high-altitude north slope of Mount Etna, the estate farms roughly 15 hectares of old-vine Nerello Mascalese across several distinct contrade, including Feudo, San Lorenzo, and Calderara Sottana.

Giuseppe works with a minimalist, organic approach, focusing on expressing the singular identity of each vineyard site. His wines are lauded for their balance of tension and grace, reflecting Etna’s duality of fire and air. With Feudo, Giuseppe captures one of the mountain’s most precise and noble expressions—a wine that continues to elevate Etna’s standing among the world’s great terroirs.