A juicy and polished Etna red with crushed black berries, pumice, metal shavings and graphite in the nose and on the palate. Medium body. Firm and polished with a pretty finish. Really pretty at the end. Always well-crafted. Drink or hold.

A very different wine next to the Feudo di Mezzo, the Graci 2020 Etna Rosso Arcurìa carries more fruit weight and a savory personality with blackcurrant, tea leaf, tobacco and maybe a hint of exotic spice. The tannins are more prominent here, and the wine's concentration is definitely upped a notch or two in terms of intensity. The Contrada Arcurìa sits at 650 meters in elevation. Only 5,300 bottles were made.

The 2018 Etna Rosso Arcurìa brings the focus and fruit detail that is characteristic of this beautiful vineyard site located not too far from Alberto Graci's winery, with old, twisted vines and fresh green sprigs of wild fennel that grow beyond the vineyard stone walls. The wine opens to a lean garnet appearance and shows delicate tones of wild berry, bitter almond, cassis, blue flower and campfire ash. The clarity and intensity of each aroma can be recognized on its own merits. This is a fresh and classic expression from under the Sicilian volcano.

The 2017 Etna Rosso Arcurìa shows rich textural fiber and a compact core of red and purple fruits. Those fruit-driven elements are enhanced by flint, crushed stone, spice, tar and powdered licorice. I notice that Alberto Graci's wines from the not-always-easy 2017 vintage show better balance and tannic harmony that most. The wine is ready to drink straight out of the gate, but it could also be put aside for more aging.

The 2016 Etna Rosso Arcurìa offers tight berry nuances with firm contours of volcanic smoke, tar and licorice that frame its fruity core. Across the appellation, the 2016 vintage tends to show thinner, less imposing wines. This expression from the Arcurìa cru, however, maintains its firmness and focus, while also showing sophisticated aromatic finesse.