Terra Costantino, Vino Rosso (Sicily, Italy) 2019

 This is made from old vine Contrada Blandano grown up on Etna between 450 and 550 meters a.s.l., and it is just wickedly fun.  Juicy, open red fruit flavors recall perfect pie cherries and wild strawberries, with a light but noticeable mineral undertone but no apparent oak and nothing to mess with the lovely, pure fruit.  As though we might need help getting the idea, they even sell this in a clear glass bottle, though it is not a rosé.  I loved it on its own when writing this, and then loved it all over again when trying to relax after a stressful day with a simple steak taco sprinkled with pepper jack cheese, and the wine’s exuberant fruitiness was just perfect with the spicy cheese.  This may not be a wine to study, but then, I’ve spent plenty of time studying over the years.  This is for gulping and grinning, and that’s exactly what it made me do.  The price here is all guesswork, as they came to me as a press sample from the producer through Assovini Sicilia, and I can’t find anything about the wine being sold anywhere in the world.  I’d like to think that they just give the stuff away, to keep from spoiling all the fun provided by the wine, but that’s surely a vain hope.