Girolamo Russo San Lorenzo 2017 is a bright counterpoint to the broodier reds of the region, this single-vineyard wine is pure volcano, with black fruit and ash on the palate. It is finely perfumed with spice, strawberry and rich cherry. Juicy and elegant. Fruit comes from 100+ year old bush vines grown in relatively young volcanic soil in the San Lorenzo Vineyard.
In 2005, Giuseppe Russo was drawn back to his childhood home on Sicily’s Mount Etna to make wine. Named after his late father, he creates elegant and expressive wines that speak of the volcano’s incredibly varied terroir. The crus (or ‘contrade’) in which Russo grows his grapes are among the finest on Etna’s north side, and he conducts all of his production organically.
"Cask sample. Just mid crimson. Minerally raspberry with iron hints and notes of orange skin. Concentrated yet really fine and with bags of powdery tannins that never overpower the fruit. Very long and poised. A real cru."
17.5 points, jancisrobinson.com, April 2018
"The 2017 Etna Rosso San Lorenzo is beautifully balanced and bright. Indeed, San Lorenzo is often my favorite single-vineyard expression from Beppe Russo, although I preferred some of the other expressions in this unique vintage. The wine shows elegance and purity, all clearly within the context of a warm growing season that produced overripe aromas in many of the red wines made on Etna. This expression holds back in terms of that overt ripeness, stopping cautiously at black fruit, sweet spice and volcanic ash. Pull this one out for a grilled veal or pork dinner."
93 points, Monica Larner, October 2019
