Lenza di Munti 2024: Volcanic Soil, Nervy Nerello and a Proper Sicilian Bargain
Etna has become fashionable, and fashion has done strange things to its wine prices. Fortunately, Nicosia’s Lenza di Munti 2024 is a reminder that you can still drink a convincing volcanic red without paying the sort of money once reserved for distinguished Burgundy.
Grown at 720 metres on the southeastern slopes of Mount Etna, this lively blend of Nerello Mascalese and Nerello Cappuccio has a distinctly Mediterranean personality. Red cherries, wild herbs, dried flowers and a peppery undertone emerge from a wine that combines supple fruit with a lean, almost angular structure.
There is nothing particularly grand about Lenza di Munti. Its attraction is its restless, savoury energy: juicy enough to be immediately enjoyable, but dry and firm enough to keep the fruit from turning into a sugary distraction.
The Basics
- Producer: Cantine Nicosia
- Wine: Lenza di Munti 720
- Vintage: 2024
- Appellation: Etna Rosso DOC
- Region: Sicily, Italy
- Production area: Southeastern slopes of Mount Etna
- Grapes: 85% Nerello Mascalese, 15% Nerello Cappuccio
- Altitude: Approximately 720 metres
- Soils: Volcanic sands and decomposed lava
- Training system: Cordon-trained vines
- Harvest: Hand-picked in October
- Vinification: Cold maceration followed by temperature-controlled fermentation in stainless steel
- Ageing: Mainly stainless steel, approximately four months in tonneaux and at least six months in bottle
- Alcohol: 13% ABV
- Bottle size: 750 ml
- Serving temperature: 16–18°C
Nicosia and the Vineyards of Mount Etna
Cantine Nicosia was founded in 1898 in Trecastagni, on the southeastern side of Mount Etna. The estate belongs to a winegrowing tradition that predates the volcano’s recent international celebrity, when Nerello Mascalese was valued less for its fashionable elegance than for its ability to produce honest, characterful local reds.
Today, Etna is among Italy’s most coveted wine regions. Its vineyards occupy an extraordinary landscape of ancient lava flows, black volcanic sands, terraces and steep slopes. Altitude, exposure and the age of the underlying volcanic deposits can change dramatically over remarkably short distances.
Lenza di Munti comes from vineyards situated around 720 metres above sea level. The porous soils drain quickly, while the substantial difference between daytime and nighttime temperatures helps the grapes retain aromatic freshness during ripening.
These are conditions particularly suited to Nerello Mascalese, a thin-skinned grape capable of producing pale, fragrant wines with considerable tannic definition. Comparisons with Pinot Noir are inevitable, although the Sicilian variety often has a more rustic, herbal edge.
Nerello Cappuccio plays a supporting role in the blend, contributing colour and a softer fruit character to Mascalese’s more angular personality.
How It’s Made
The grapes are harvested by hand, generally during the second half of October, when the cooler conditions at altitude allow the growing season to extend well beyond the harvest dates typical of many southern Italian vineyards.
After a short cold maceration of approximately twenty-four hours, fermentation takes place in temperature-controlled stainless-steel tanks for ten to fifteen days.
The wine matures predominantly in stainless steel, with a passage of around four months in tonneaux. It then spends at least another six months in bottle before release.
This relatively discreet oak treatment is important. Nerello Mascalese’s appeal lies in its fragrance, tannic tension and savoury character. Heavy new oak would turn a nimble mountain red into something needlessly cumbersome.
Lenza di Munti takes a more accessible approach than the austere, sometimes formidable single-contrada wines found elsewhere on Etna. Its fruit is generous, its texture relatively supple, and its ambition remains proportionate to its price.
Tasting Notes
Colour: Bright ruby red, youthful and transparent around the rim, with lively garnet reflections.
Bouquet: Red cherry and wild raspberry introduce an expressive, slightly unruly nose. Dried violet, thyme and black pepper follow, accompanied by a delicate earthy note. The aromatic character is distinctly Mediterranean, with a restrained smoky suggestion rather than an exaggerated display of volcanic theatrics.
Palate: Juicy, energetic and decidedly dry. Red fruit provides an attractive opening before the tannins assert themselves, lending the wine a slightly rugged but satisfying grip. The acidity is brisk, the structure medium-bodied, and the texture has enough softness to prevent the finish from becoming severe. Cherry, herbs and a touch of liquorice gradually give way to a faintly bitter, savoury conclusion.
Finish: Fresh, peppery and moderately persistent, with lingering red cherry, dried herbs and a fine tannic bite. There is a pleasant austerity beneath the fruit, especially as the glass warms.
Our Verdict
Lenza di Munti 2024 is a spirited, characterful Etna Rosso, with fragrant fruit, lively acidity and a pleasantly stubborn tannic streak. It is not a profoundly complex wine, and its rustic edges are part of the experience rather than something to disguise.
For less than €15, however, it offers an authentic introduction to Nerello Mascalese. It has less depth than the more ambitious Etna reds, but enough personality to avoid becoming another anonymous supermarket bottle. A very respectable bargain.
For a more mature interpretation of the appellation, the 2016 Nireddu Etna Rosso offers an interesting comparison, with a similarly savoury approach to the region’s traditional grape blend.
Price
€14.50 for a 750 ml bottle.
Food Pairings
Paella, vitello tonnato, chicken curry, pulled pork, empanadas, hamburgers.
