Nerello Mascalese

The Etna production rules (disciplinare) published by MASAF describe Nerello Mascalese as a variety typical of the Etna area, where it has been grown since time immemorial, and say its name refers to the Contea di Mascali, the probable centre of origin or at least of spread of the cultivar. The same text says the variety very probably belongs to the ancient group of 'Nigrelli' vines described by Sensini (1760) in his 'Memorie sui vini siciliani', but that the first mentions of a Nerello Mascalese grown on the slopes of Etna date from 1839, by Abate Geremia. The Consorzio Tutela Vini Etna DOC reports that the variety supposedly originated in the Contea di Mascali, a vast territory which, from a Norman donation in the 12th century until the early 19th century, included part of the Acireale area, most of the eastern and north-eastern slopes of the volcano and many plains in the Messina area. Etna was the first Sicilian DOC to be recognised, by a decree of 11 August 1968, and a 2011 revision of its rules introduced the spumante and rosso riserva types.

• Name: refers to the Contea di Mascali, per the MASAF Etna production rules; the Consorzio Etna DOC reports the variety supposedly originated there
• First mention of a Nerello Mascalese grown on Etna's slopes: 1839, by Abate Geremia (MASAF Etna production rules)
• Etna DOC: the first Sicilian DOC, recognised by decree of 11 August 1968
• 2011: the Etna rules add the spumante and rosso riserva types

VIVC records Nerello Mascalese as variety number 8480 under the prime name NERELLO MASCALESE, with a black (noir) berry skin. According to VIVC, its country or region of origin is Italy. VIVC gives its pedigree as 'SANGIOVESE X MANTONICO BIANCO' under the heading 'Pedigree confirmed by markers', naming Sangiovese as parent 1 and Mantonico Bianco as parent 2. A parentage atlas of Italian grapevine varieties inferred from SNP genotyping, published in Frontiers in Plant Science in 2021, reports that Gaglioppo originated from Sangiovese and Mantonico bianco like Nerello mascalese, and describes Mantonico bianco as an ancient cultivar attested in Sicily and Calabria. VIVC-derived lineage data list Gaglioppo as a full sibling of Nerello Mascalese, and Catarratto, Ciliegiolo, Frappato and Perricone as half-siblings.

• VIVC variety number 8480; prime name NERELLO MASCALESE; berry skin colour noir; country or region of origin Italy, according to VIVC
• Parents: Sangiovese x Mantonico Bianco, confirmed by markers (VIVC) and reported in a 2021 SNP-genotyping parentage atlas
• Full sibling in VIVC-derived data: Gaglioppo; half-siblings: Catarratto, Ciliegiolo, Frappato, Perricone

The Consorzio Tutela Vini Etna DOC calls Nerello Mascalese the most widespread indigenous grape variety on the slopes of Mount Etna. On the Consorzio's terroir page, the northern slope is the area with the highest number of producers and its most cultivated variety is the red Nerello Mascalese, while on the south-eastern slope Nerello Mascalese and Carricante grow in ideal conditions and easily reach perfect ripeness. The Etna production rules say vines in the zone mainly occupy land between 300 and 900 metres above sea level, reaching 1,100 metres, and that 80% of the zone's viticulture is on brown andic and leached brown soils of volcanic origin. Tenuta delle Terre Nere, whose northern vineyards lie between 600 and 900 metres in the communes of Castiglione di Sicilia and Randazzo, describes the hill band between Solicchiata and Randazzo as traditionally recognised as the prime zone for Nerello Mascalese. Decanter reports that winemakers point out the old, higher-elevation vineyards, which are largely bush 'alberello' trained, with some even ungrafted and pre-phylloxera vines, and Decanter notes that Nerello Mascalese on Etna is grown on shaded bush vines to protect the grapes from potentially harsh rays. Decanter also says Nerello Mascalese is not totally contained to Etna, but that it is on the volcano that the finest examples are found. Decanter's Sicily Report also lists Nerello Mascalese in the blend of Palari's Faro, made from old alberello vines at 600 metres above sea level.

• Northern slope: the most producers, with Nerello Mascalese the most cultivated variety (Consorzio Etna DOC)
• Etna DOC vineyards mainly between 300 and 900 metres, reaching 1,100 metres (MASAF Etna production rules)
• Soils: 80% of the zone's viticulture on brown andic and leached brown soils of volcanic origin (MASAF Etna production rules)
• Faro: Decanter lists Nerello Mascalese in the blend of Palari's Faro

The Consorzio Etna DOC describes wines made from Nerello Mascalese as having a high alcohol content, a high level of acidity, a slightly intense ruby colour, fruity hints of good and ethereal intensity, minerality, great finesse, medium structure, good balance and astringency. jancisrobinson.com calls it a noble, late-ripening Sicilian variety that retains its acidity well and is responsible for some dense and haunting reds on the slopes of Mount Etna. Decanter's regional profile says it produces pale reds with good structure, perfumed berry fruit, and wild, gamey flavours, and finds comparisons with Nebbiolo apt because there is a similar tension between highly strung acids and assertive yet refined tannins. The Consorzio notes that many compare it to Nebbiolo because of its late ripening and to Pinot Noir because of its sensitivity to local conditions. Michele Brusaferri, agronomist at Tenuta Tascante, tells Decanter that on Etna Nerello Mascalese may appear pale in colour but the wines have astonishing depth, carrying flinty, balsamic and even liquorice notes. Decanter also names density and depth as two of the main qualities of Nerello Mascalese.

• Consorzio Etna DOC: high alcohol, high acidity, slightly intense ruby colour, minerality, great finesse, medium structure
• Decanter: pale reds with good structure, perfumed berry fruit, and wild, gamey flavours
• Compared with Nebbiolo for its late ripening and with Pinot Noir for its sensitivity to local conditions (Consorzio Etna DOC)
• Density and depth named by Decanter as two of its main qualities

The Etna production rules allow Etna rosso to carry the term riserva only after at least four years of ageing within the production zone, of which at least 12 months in wood, counted from 1 November of the harvest year. The same rules describe Etna as the latest zone in Sicily for grape ripening, with harvest running to the end of October and sometimes into November at the highest altitudes, and Nerello Mascalese generally picked from the first ten days of October. Decanter's regional profile says Nerello isn't easy: low yields are vital to avoid a mean, astringent mess, and new oak does it few favours. Practice varies by estate. Frank Cornelissen's site says the estate harvests relatively late, from mid October to early November in multiple passages, and ferments with the skins in small neutral tubs; Decanter reports that he does not vinify in wood, preferring fibreglass vessels. Benanti ferments its Contrada Calderara Sottana in temperature-controlled steel with a 21-day maceration using indigenous yeasts the company selected, then matures it in French oak tonneaux for 12 months. Decanter reports that Giuseppe Russo of Girolamo Russo vinifies all the districts in the same way, with soft punching down and short macerations.

• Etna rosso riserva: at least four years of ageing, at least 12 months in wood (MASAF Etna production rules)
• Nerello Mascalese harvest generally from the first ten days of October (MASAF Etna production rules)
• Decanter: low yields are vital, and new oak does it few favours
• Frank Cornelissen ferments in fibreglass rather than wood (Decanter); Benanti matures its Contrada Calderara Sottana in French oak tonneaux (Benanti)

Frank Cornelissen's estate was established in 2001, according to its own site, with vineyards in the northern valley of Etna; its Magma Rosso is produced from only Nerello Mascalese grapes in contrada Barbabecchi, and Decanter reports that his reds are 100% Nerello Mascalese from vineyards of 30 to 90-plus years of age. Tenuta delle Terre Nere says it has vinified and bottled its contrada wines separately since its first harvest in 2002; its Calderara Sottana Prephylloxera, 'La Vigna di Don Peppino', comes from 0.8 hectares of own-rooted vines over 140 years old in Randazzo. Benanti's Contrada Calderara Sottana Etna Rosso is pure Nerello Mascalese from a vineyard at almost 700 metres in Randazzo, and Decanter's regional profile reports that Antonio Benanti took over running the estate with his twin brother Salvino in 2012. Decanter describes Giuseppe Russo's signature wines at Girolamo Russo as Etna Rosso from individual contrade in northern Etna, and reports that Alberto Graci's top reds come from contrade Arcurià and Feudo di Mezzo, the latter made exclusively from 85-year-old vines. Decanter also credits the five Passopisciaro 'contrada' wines with demonstrating Nerello's brilliance at transmitting terroir, and says Salvo Foti's I Vigneri collective spreads the gospel of alberello (bush) training methods.

• Frank Cornelissen (est. 2001, per the estate): Magma Rosso, only Nerello Mascalese from contrada Barbabecchi
• Tenuta delle Terre Nere: contrada wines bottled separately since the 2002 first harvest; Calderara Sottana Prephylloxera from 0.8 ha of own-rooted vines
• Benanti: Contrada Calderara Sottana Etna Rosso, pure Nerello Mascalese at almost 700 metres in Randazzo
• Girolamo Russo (contrada Etna Rosso from northern Etna) and Graci (Arcurià, Feudo di Mezzo), per Decanter

Benanti describes its Contrada Calderara Sottana Etna Rosso, a pure Nerello Mascalese, as particularly suited to red meats, game and aged cheeses.

• Red meats, game and aged cheeses (Benanti, Contrada Calderara Sottana Etna Rosso)

Primary sources: https://www.vivc.de/index.php?r=passport%2Fview&id=8480 ; https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2020.605934 ; https://www.masaf.gov.it/flex/cm/pages/ServeAttachment.php/L/IT/D/1%252Ff%252F6%252FD.b5bdd1dbb38eb7253e5a/P/BLOB%3AID%3D4625/E/7z?mode=download (Etna disciplinare) ; https://thewinesofetna.com/wines/ ; https://thewinesofetna.com/terroir/ ; https://www.frankcornelissen.it/ ; https://www.tenutaterrenere.com/contrade/ ; https://www.tenutaterrenere.com/grand-cru/calderara-sottana-rosso/ ; https://www.tenutaterrenere.com/grand-cru/calderara-sottana-rosso-pre/ ; https://www.benanti.it/prodotto/contrada-calderara-sottanaetna-rosso/ ; https://www.girolamorusso.it/i_vini/calderara-sottana/ Reference sources: https://www.jancisrobinson.com/learn/grape-varieties/red/nerello-mascalese ; https://www.decanter.com/features/regional-profile-etna-sicily-245635/ ; https://www.decanter.com/magazine/wine-lovers-guide-to-etna-542444/ ; https://www.decanter.com/premium/sicily-report-2024-etnas-golden-opportunity-543802/ ; https://www.decanter.com/learn/what-makes-volcanic-wines-so-special-winemakers-have-their-say-564508/ ; https://www.decanter.com/premium/italys-high-altitude-wines-460029/ ; https://www.decanter.com/premium/etnas-star-winemakers-556926/ Last verified 2026-09-29