Producer Spotlight: Girolamo Russo – Wines From the Slopes of Etna
Mount Etna is one of the most dramatic wine regions in the world, an active volcano rising above small Sicilian villages, black soil, and terraced vines that cling to ancient lava flows. It’s here that Girolamo Russo crafts some of the most soulful and expressive wines in all of Italy.
The Russo family has been farming this land for generations, but the modern chapter began when Giuseppe Russo took over after his father Girolamo passed away. Instead of expanding, he chose to focus on quality, terroir expression, and preserving the character of Etna’s old vines. Many of the vineyards he works with are between 60 and 100 years old.
Russo’s reds are primarily Nerello Mascalese, a grape often described as Sicily’s answer to Nebbiolo. The wines are pale in color but incredibly complex, offering notes of red berries, dried herbs, smoke, orange peel, and volcanic minerality. On the palate, they’re elegant and layered, with silky tannins and a long, savory finish.
The white wines, mainly Carricante, are bright, salty, and deeply mineral. They carry the signature tension of high-altitude vineyards, showing citrus, stone, and a clean, linear profile that feels almost Alpine.
What makes Girolamo Russo stand out is the balance between power and subtlety. His wines don’t shout; they glow. They capture Etna’s wildness without losing refinement, delivering a style that feels both ancient and modern.
If you're looking for bottles with personality, history, and a sense of place, Russo’s Etna wines are an unforgettable addition to your table or cellar.
10% DISCOUNT ON 6PK
15% DISCOUNT ON 12PK
QUESTIONS & ORDERS CALL US 631-537-2800
Girolamo Russo 'a Rina Etna Rosso 2020/2021
Ruby red with an elegant nose of good complexity and notes of cherries and plums, leather and tobacco. Fresh and complex, with supple, velvety tannins, good structure. Pleasurable to drink, with lovely length. Attractive nose of lavender, cranberry, orange peel, rosemary and clove. Tangy and bright, with vivid acidity and fine, silky tannins. Crunchy red and citrus fruit. Delicious already.
Price: $42
6PK: $37.80
12PK: $35.70
Girolamo Russo San Lorenzo Etna Rosso 2018
San Lorenzo is a single vineyard wine from a contrada in Randazzo. It sits 750-780 meters above sea level and the vines are now over 80 years old. The entire vineyard is around 8 hectares but only the oldest 1 hectare parcel of vines is selected for the single contrada bottling. The rest is used for A Rina and the Rosato. The wine is almost entirely Nerello Mascalese but also have very small amounts of Nerello Cappuccio since the varieties are co-planted. San Lorenzo is fermented in a combination of formats - 2,600 liter barrels, cement, and vat.
Price: $85
6PK: $76.50
12PK: $72.25
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