Emiliano Falsini, Feudo Pignatone 2021

Emiliano Falsini is one of Italy's most celebrated up-and-coming winemakers. He's a Tuscan native who studied winemaking in Florence and had stints honing his craft at some of the world's greatest wineries across Bordeaux, California and New Zealand. Now running a winemaking consultancy business back in his native Italy, he has two passion-projects under his own label, one in Tuscany and the other in Randazzo, on the northern slope of Etna, Sicily. Feudo Pignatone 2021 is made from 100% Nerello Mascalese, taken from vines aged between 30-100 years and grown on the contrada Feudo Pignatone, an estate sitting at 700m above sea level and whose vineyard parcels align atop an ancient lava flow. Notes of raspberry, earth, redcurrant and smoke lead to a medium-bodied palate with good tannic structure and balanced acidity. Elegant, finessed and mineral, this is a supremely drinkable Sicilian red and one which pairs really well with game.