Tasca d’Almerita, Etna Rosso DOC (Sicily, Italy) 2016

 Tasted side-by-side, I liked this much more than the same producer’s “Contrada Pianodario,” also from the 2016 vintage and likewise made entirely from Nerello Mascalese grown on Etna.  This is juicier and sweeter and much less woody, though I couldn’t quite tell whether that was because wood wasn’t utilized in the cellar or whether superior fruit had simply soaked up the oak.  In any case, this features gorgeous fruit recalling ripe pie cherries above all, and though that fruit analogy could make the wine seem un-serious, the framing from plenty of fine tannin makes this very promising as a dinner companion.