The 2016 Alta Mora Feudo di Mezzo Etna Rosso, crafted from Nerello Mascalese, hails from the esteemed wine-producing region of Etna in Sicily, Italy. This red wine, produced by Alta Mora, is known for its complexity and elegance. It is sealed with a cork and has an alcohol content of 13.5%.
James Suckling, a respected wine critic, awarded this wine a score of 93 points. He describes it as having "complex aromas of smoke, bramble, and savory herbs, followed by cloves and dried flowers." Suckling highlights the wine's "elegant, medium-bodied" nature, noting its "ultra fine tannins and red-tea notes." He concludes that it has a "mouthwatering finish" and recommends it for immediate drinking or holding.
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate provides an even higher score of 95 points, emphasizing the wine's "unsuspecting power and intensity." The review, penned by ML, praises the wine for filling the glass with "ripe cherry, cassis, blue flower, and rusty nail aromas." The wine is noted for its "sanguine or mineral side with iron ore and pencil shavings." Made from 90- to 100-year-old vines, it hits the palate with "sharp and decisive" tannins, making it a great pairing with caciocavallo cheese.
Wine Enthusiast, with a review by Kerin O’Keefe, also gives the wine a score of 93 points. The review describes the wine as "elegant and savory," with aromas of "wild berry, blue flower, underbrush, and dark spice." The palate is described as "radiant" and "energetic," delivering "juicy Morello cherry, licorice, and tobacco" with "lithe, fine-grained tannins" and a "drying finish." The wine's bright acidity is highlighted for keeping it well balanced, and it is recommended to be enjoyed through 2026.
Wine Spectator offers a score of 91 points, describing the wine as "fresh" and "focused." The review highlights "brambly herb accenting the wild cherry and red currant fruit flavors," noting its light- to medium-bodied nature with "snappy tannins" and a "subtle underpinning of tarry smoke and spice" on the finish. They suggest drinking this wine now through 2026, and mention that only 225 cases were made, with 50 cases imported.
Overall, the 2016 Alta Mora Feudo di Mezzo Etna Rosso is a well-regarded wine showcasing the unique characteristics of Nerello Mascalese from Sicily's Etna region. It is praised for its complexity, elegance, and well-balanced structure, making it a noteworthy choice for wine enthusiasts.