Radica Rosso 2025

Wine description for Radica Rosso IGT 2025 by I Vigneri di Salvo Foti

Colour & appearance

Pale, translucent cherry red with purple reflections – a wine that seems almost to float in the glass.

Nose

An explosion of red fruit: cherry in all its facets, flanked by blackberry, wild berries and a hint of red berry compote. Alongside this, a playful, almost sweetish note reminiscent of strawberry ice cream – inviting, exuberant and irresistible.

Palate

Juicy, precise and surprisingly serious. The fruit remains dominant yet is framed by silky tannins that lend structure. A delicate acidity pulses in the background, providing tension and length. Despite its transparency, there is real depth here – a dark, almost mysterious facet beneath the cheerful surface.

Finish

Fine-fruited, cherry-red, with a quiet elegance that lingers long on the palate.

Terroir & origin

The grapes come from the Vincenzo Vineyard in Contrada Tartaraci near Bronte – named after Salvo Foti’s grandfather. At an altitude of 1,010 metres, around 100-year-old bush vines grow here on volcanic soils with a north-westerly aspect. This high elevation and cool exposure give the wine its remarkable freshness and precision.

Grape variety & vinification

100% Grenache – a rarity on Etna, where Nerello Mascalese otherwise dominates. The hand-harvested grapes undergo about one week of semi-carbonic fermentation in old, open-top tonneaux, before being pressed and reunited with the free-run wine. Maturation takes place over roughly six months in stainless steel tanks, followed by a coarse filtration prior to bottling.

Food recommendations

A versatile food companion: grilled lamb chops with rosemary, Pasta alla Norma, pizza with Sicilian salami, or simply hard-smoked Pecorino and olives. Also a delight when served slightly chilled alongside tuna or grilled vegetables.

Special features

Grenache on Etna is a rarity – and at this altitude, nothing short of a sensation. Salvo Foti, who tends the traditional Alberello training system (a UNESCO World Heritage practice) like few others, demonstrates here that this grape variety speaks an entirely distinct and fascinating language on volcanic soils: bright and transparent, yet with volcanic depth. A wine that proves lightness and seriousness are by no means mutually exclusive.