Eruzione 1614 Pinot Nero, Planeta 2023 75cl
Pinot Noir grown on the side of an active volcano, at 820 metres, in black lava sand. That is the pitch, and it is not marketing — Planeta's Eruzione 1614 comes from a tiny plot of 3,000 vines on the terraces of Sciaranuova, on the edge of the lava flow left by Etna's decade-long eruption that began in 1614.
Planeta planted here to chase altitude and volcanic minerality, and Pinot has actually been grown in pockets of Etna for centuries. The mineral-rich lava soils and the cool mountain air give this a version of Pinot you will not find in Burgundy or California — it is genuinely its own creature. Farmed organically under the SOStain protocol.
The aromas are striking: flint and ink first, then wild plum and cherry — savoury and mineral before it is fruity. On the palate it is lively and elegant at once, the tannins velvety but reactive, with the acidity you would hope for from a mountain red. "Good vibrations," as the estate puts it. James Suckling scored the wine 94 points.
At £46.99 you are paying for something rare and specific rather than famous — a small-production, high-altitude Etna Pinot from one of Sicily's finest houses. For the curious drinker who has tasted everything, this is a proper find. Drink now to 2028.
How to Serve
Serve at 14–16°C in a Burgundy bowl. A short decant helps the flint and volcanic notes open up.
Where to Drink It
Noble Rot Soho, exactly the sort of oddity their list champions. Planque in Haggerston. Bibendum for a quiet, considered glass.
Food Pairings
Roast quail or grilled pigeon suits its wild, mineral streak. Otherwise a mushroom and thyme tart.
