Mandrarossa 'Terre del Sommacco' Nero d'Avola is an aromatic and fruity wine, with hints of cherry, blackberry, and floral pansy notes. Its soft, delicate tannins and bright freshness make it a perfect pairing for a variety of meat dishes, stuffed turkey roast, and grilled fillets.

The Storie ritrovate project started with the goal of producing wines from Sicilian native gapes, that represent the true essence of the territories they come from.

Critic Review

Decanter Magazine: 91Pts
Drinking Window: 2023 - 2030

"Terre del Sommacco from Settesoli's Mandrarossa estate is a vinification of Nero d'Avola from the limestone hills of Menfi in southwest Sicil, at 310 metres above sea level. After eight months in concrete, it's racked to large barrels, where it spends 19 months. Lavender-laced cherry and strawberry aromas introduce an intense, zippy palate of black cherry and a touch of raspberry, with undertones of undergrowth, wood and spice. Really energetic and lively, it finishes tangy and bright."
James Button

About the Producer

First produced in 1999, the Mandrarossa wines come from a selection of the best sites from Cantine Settesoli’s 6,000 hectares of vineyard, situated in southwestern Sicily and planted with 32 different grape varieties. This range was conceived after the diverse soils of the vineyards were mapped, enabling the winemakers to focus on what were then ranked their best sites. Under the leadership of co-operative president Giuseppe Bursi, consultant winemaker Alberto Antonini has sought to improve viticulture, which in turn has resulted in better wines. Working with soil specialist Pedro Parra and head winemaker Mimmo De Gregorio, Alberto has selected 500 hectares of vineyard for the production of the Mandrarossa wines. These vineyards are situated close to the sea, where intense sunlight, moderating sea breezes, mild temperatures, multiple elevations and a myriad of different soil types combine to give the sort of grapes that Mimmo and Alberto are looking for.

Vineyard and Winery

This wine comes from two vineyards with a combined size of 1.5 hectares. The two sites are located in Contrada Miccina, in the comune of Contessa Entellina. The vines are 20 years old, and grow on south-west facing hills at 310 metres above sea level. Soils are calcareous, and it was for these chalky soils that the vineyard sites were selected after a long period of study on the area. Vines are Guyot trained and planted at a density of 4,000 plants per hectare.

Grapes were hand harvested and fermented in temperature controlled cement tulip tanks. Ageing took place in stainless steel and cement tanks for the first eight months, after which the wine was racked off into large French oak casks for a further 19 months of ageing. The wine remained for eight months in bottle prior to release.