From The Volcano With Funk

Nerina Cardile is, like her grapes, native of and rooted in Sicily. A psychologist by trade, Cardile turned in her bust of Freud for a tractor that fits between the rows of grapes.

Her 2024 Vulcanica is made from 85% Nerello Mascalese and 15% Nerello Cappuccio grapes. This red, and a white indigenous blend, are the only two wines she produces. It's made with spontaneous fermentation, unfiltered and unfined. Alcohol sits at 13.5% abv and it sells for about $30.

This wine has a brick-red color to it, medium dark. The nose is quite savory. Let's be straight. It's kinda funky. Aromas of raspberry and plum are all but vanquished by the funk. Not that it's a bad thing. It's just a funk thing. Be ready. The palate lets a bit more of the fruit get loose, but you're not escaping the funk zone entirely. The savory experience pairs with an astringent acidity and medium firm tannins. This is what I think of as a country wine, one that packs a punch and doesn't worry about being pretty. 

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