Mandrarossa
Sicily, Italy
Sicily has become one of the most exciting wine regions in Italy because it manages to combine sunshine, history and native grape varieties without taking itself too seriously. Mandrarossa captures that atmosphere rather well.
Created by Cantine Settesoli on Sicily’s south-west coast, the project focuses heavily on expressing different vineyard sites and local varieties across the island. Nero d’Avola, Grillo, Grecanico and Frappato all appear throughout the range alongside a few international grapes where they make sense.
The wines tend to be generous and approachable without becoming clumsy. Nero d’Avola brings dark cherry fruit, herbs and spice with softer tannins than many mainland Italian reds, while Grillo delivers citrus, peach and salty freshness that feels almost purpose-built for seafood. Sicily’s coastal influence helps enormously here, keeping freshness intact despite the intense Mediterranean heat.
What makes Mandrarossa interesting is the balance between scale and character. These aren’t tiny-production cult wines, but they still manage to reflect the landscape properly. Volcanic soils, sea breezes and huge amounts of sunlight all come through naturally in the glass.
Modern Sicilian wine generally feels far more confident than it did twenty years ago too. Less over-extraction, less unnecessary oak, more focus on indigenous grapes and drinkability. Mandrarossa sits comfortably in that newer wave. Warm, expressive wines that still know when to stop talking.
