DOC Red

Girolamo Russo 'A Rina Etna Rosso

Azienda Agricola Girolamo Russo

Grapes
Nerello Mascalese, Nerello Cappuccio
Denomination
Etna DOC
Region
Sicily
Drink
Now to 2032

Giuseppe Russo's benchmark Etna Rosso, mostly Nerello Mascalese from old vines on Etna's north slope. Ruby and perfumed: red cherry, plum, leather and volcanic minerality, fresh acidity and fine tannins. A graceful, food-friendly Sicilian red.

Best price
£25.39

2024 · 75cl · checked 29 Oct · Delivery charged at checkout

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Vintages 2024 2022

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Where to buy Azienda Agricola Girolamo Russo a Rina

£25.39 best price · 4 retailers in stock · checked 29 Oct 2026

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8wines Best price 2024 · 75cl · checked 29 Oct · Delivery charged at checkout Code NEWCUST8J: Enter NEWCUST8J to get £8 off with the minimum wine order of £88. Valid only for new customers, until 31 Dec 2027
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£25.39 £33.85/L
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Vino.com Best price Save 9% 2024 · 75cl · checked 29 Oct · Delivery usually £16.90, free on 5 bottles Code WINE6R8T: £17 off your first wine order with £180 minimum spend, until 13 Jan 2028
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£29.80 was regular price £32.75 £39.73/L
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Millesima Best price 2024 · 75cl · checked 29 Oct · Delivery £20, free over £250
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£34.50 £46.00/L
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Millesima Best price 2022 · 75cl · checked 29 Oct · Delivery £20, free over £250
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£39.10 £52.13/L
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Vinissimus Best price 2024 · 75cl · checked 29 Oct · Delivery charges may apply
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£54.50 £72.67/L
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Unavailable (2)
8wines Best price 2023 · 75cl · checked 27 Oct · Delivery charged at checkout Code NEWCUST8J: Enter NEWCUST8J to get £8 off with the minimum wine order of £88. Valid only for new customers, until 31 Dec 2027
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£25.48 £33.97/L
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XtraWine Best price 2024 · 75cl · checked 29 Oct · Delivery charge shown at checkout
Out of stock
£29.00 £38.67/L
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Tasting Notes

Tasting Girolamo Russo's 'A Rina Etna Rosso

A Nerello Mascalese-led red from Giuseppe Russo's old vines across San Lorenzo, Calderara Sottana and Feudo di Mezzo. Earthy and stony over red cherry, with the leather and tobacco the producer also notes.

Tasted by
ItalianWines editorial
Tasted on
11 June 2026
Source
Drinker consensus · confidence Medium
Typical of Nerello Mascalese
Body Light / Full
Tannins Smooth / Grippy
Sweetness Dry / Sweet
Acidity Soft / Crisp
Nose

Ruby red and openly perfumed. Morello cherry and red plum lead, over leather and tobacco, the aromas Giuseppe Russo himself lists for 'A Rina. Dried Mediterranean herbs and a violet lift sit behind. Then comes the smoky, stony mark of Etna's lava soils, the note that stands out most of all.

VioletViolet
CherryCherry
PlumPlum
TobaccoTobacco
FlintFlint
Forest FloorForest Floor
LeatherLeather
LiquoriceLiquorice
Palate

Medium-bodied and fresh, built on Nerello Mascalese's high acidity and fine, velvety tannins rather than weight. Red-fruit and savoury, iron-like notes carry a stony flavour from the sandy volcanic soils of the north slope at 650 to 800 metres. Around a year in large Slavonian botti and cement leaves it clean, not oaky.

Finish

The finish is long and savoury. It closes on dried herbs, tobacco and the salty, volcanic stony tang that marks Etna's Nerello reds. That tang keeps 'A Rina fresh to the last sip.

Overall

This is Russo's classic and most available Etna Rosso, and a well-liked one, vintage after vintage. It is a fine first step onto the volcano before his single-district bottlings. Best from release to about five years on.

Drink now Best by 2032
Live UK pricing

Where to buy 'A Rina, and which vintage

Around 40,000 bottles leave Passopisciaro each year, so 'A Rina is the most available wine in the Russo range. Recent UK vintages sit near £21 to £38 across the listings below.

Best price · 75 cl · 2024 £25.39 at 8wines
Price spread · 75cl · 2024 £25.39 - £54.50 Across 4 UK retailers with 75cl · 2024 in stock
Retailers · 75cl · 2024 4UK 4 in stock
Vintages live 2024 · 2022 Current release: 2024
Per-litre (75cl · 2024 basis) £33.85 Lowest current 75cl · 2024 offer
Last checked 29 Oct 2026 Refreshed once every 24 hours
Other vintages and formats: 1 price line

75cl · 2022: £39.10, 1 UK retailer

Wine fit score

How 'A Rina scores for food, value and cellaring

Scores weigh 'A Rina's Nerello Mascalese structure, its roughly £21 to £38 UK range, and Etna Rosso DOC ageing against everyday and occasion use.

Best with food 9.0/10

Fresh Nerello Mascalese acidity and fine tannin make 'A Rina one of Italy's most food-flexible reds, from Sicilian pasta to grilled meat and aged cheese.

Best value 8.2/10

At roughly £21 to £38 for a 92 to 93 point Etna from a benchmark grower, 'A Rina is strong quality for money among single-estate Sicilian reds.

Best intro to this style 7.8/10

An approachable, clearly varietal Etna Rosso and the estate's entry point, though its mineral, savoury style rewards a little curiosity beyond fruit-forward reds.

Best for an occasion 6.2/10

Etna's cachet and Russo's reputation give 'A Rina real dinner-party appeal, a notch below the estate's flagship single-contrada reds.

Best everyday bottle 5.8/10

Drinkable and food-friendly enough for the table now, though at £20-plus it sits above true everyday pricing.

Best for cellar 5.5/10

Built to drink young with five to eight years of upside in stronger vintages like 2022; this is the classic 'A Rina, not Russo's age-worthy single-contrada reds.

Scoring is rule-based and deterministic. The model and weightings are documented in our Wine Fit Score methodology.

Denomination Compliance Snapshot

Etna in five fields

A compact view of what the Etna denomination actually requires, and how this bottle sits inside it. Pulled from the official Italian disciplinare.

Allowed grapes
4 varieties listed
This bottle: Nerello Mascalese, Nerello Cappuccio.
Minimum ageing
No statutory minimum
Producers release on their own schedule; 4 to 6 months in steel is typical.
Region / area
Parts of 20 communes on the slopes of Mount Etna, all in the province of Catania
Source: Disciplinare.
Style
DOC · Etna
Minimum ABV at this colour: 12.5%.
Classification
DOC (Denominazione di Origine Controllata)
What that means →
Vintages

'A Rina across the 2022, 2023 and 2024 vintages

Etna 2022 was a warm, dry, highly rated growing season; 2023 and 2024 lean fresher and more classic. All three are Nerello Mascalese from vines aged 20 to 100 years at 650 to 800 metres.

2024 Current release
Best price
£25.39
Retailers
4 in stock
Window
Drink now through 2032

A bright, perfumed young vintage. The 2024 'A Rina leads with red cherry and floral lift and is best enjoyed in its fresh, early years.

2023 Sold through
Best price
not listed
Retailers
0 in stock
Window
Drink now through 2031

2023 was more challenging across Sicily, with mildew pressure and lower yields, but Etna's altitude preserved freshness. Expect a leaner, more classic 'A Rina to enjoy in its first several years.

2022 Previous release
Best price
£39.10
Retailers
1 in stock
Window
Drink now through 2032

A warm, dry 2022 growing season balanced by good winter rainfall gave a ripe yet fresh Etna vintage, widely rated among the best of the decade. 'A Rina is structured here, with the best mid-term cellar potential of the three.

2024 Current release
Best price
£25.39
Retailers
4 in stock
Window
Drink now through 2032

A bright, perfumed young vintage. The 2024 'A Rina leads with red cherry and floral lift and is best enjoyed in its fresh, early years.

Drink-now / hold guidance reflects general style cues for this wine, not a forecast for a specific bottle. Where vintage-level editorial notes exist, they appear above.

The disciplinare, the place, the label

Why Girolamo Russo's 'A Rina drinks the way it does

The fruit grows on sandy soils from ancient lava flows on Etna's north slope. Spontaneous fermentation and roughly a year in large Slavonian botti and cement keep the wine fresh rather than oaky.

01

DOC, DOCG, IGT: what the badges mean

Italian wine law sorts bottles into a pyramid. DOCG sits at the top: tightly drawn boundaries, prescribed grapes, mandatory ageing, government tasting before release. DOC is the same idea with looser thresholds. IGT (Indicazione Geografica Tipica) is broader still, requiring only that 85% of the grapes come from the named territory.

Etna is in the DOC tier. That is not a quality verdict, it is a description of how much freedom the producer has at vinification and ageing.

02

The denomination rules, in detail

  • Allowed grapes. 4 varieties listed in the disciplinare
  • Yield ceiling. 9.0 tonnes per hectare
  • Minimum ABV. 12.5% vol
  • Minimum ageing. No statutory minimum - producers release on their own schedule
  • Tasting panel. Mandatory pre-release tasting commission
03

Region and area context

Etna falls within Sicily, covering Parts of 20 communes on the slopes of Mount Etna, all in the province of Catania. The denomination is further divided into 4 sub-zones.

Etna DOC zone Wine route in the zone

Made at Azienda Agricola Girolamo Russo, Passopisciaro.

Wine route in the zone: Strada del Vino dell'Etna.

04

Reading the label

  • Azienda Agricola Girolamo RussoProducer / estate
  • Nerello Mascalese · Nerello CappuccioGrape varieties
  • Etna DOCGeographic indication and quality tier
  • 2024Vintage (year of harvest)
  • Imbottigliato all’origineEstate-bottled
05

What sits behind the price of Azienda Agricola Girolamo Russo a Rina

Tracked from
£25.39
Direction
Mostly cost up
Drivers
5 up / 1 down
Main factor
Old vines, 20 to 100 years, on Etna's volcanic north slope
  1. 01

    Old vines, 20 to 100 years, on Etna's volcanic north slope

    Cost up

    Giuseppe Russo's 'A Rina draws on old Nerello in San Lorenzo, Calderara Sottana and Feudo di Mezzo at 650 to 800 metres; low-yielding mountain fruit is the main cost behind the £21 to £38 price.

  2. 02

    Manual harvest on steep lava terraces

    Cost up

    Hand-picking in late October on Etna's terraced sciare, where machines cannot reach, adds labour that flat-vineyard Sicilian reds avoid.

  3. 03

    A year in large Slavonian botti and cement, then bottle age

    Cost up

    'A Rina rests around twelve months in big Slavonian casks and cement, then six months in bottle, tying up stock and cellar space across more than 18 months.

  4. 04

    Organic farming and indigenous-yeast fermentation

    Cost up

    Organically farmed fruit and spontaneous native-yeast fermentation raise vineyard and cellar risk versus conventional, cultured-yeast winemaking.

  5. 05

    40,000 bottles: the estate's volume wine

    Cost down

    At about 40,000 bottles 'A Rina is by far Russo's largest cuvee, which holds its price well below the single-contrada reds that run past £60.

  6. 06

    UK duty and VAT on a still red wine

    Cost up

    UK alcohol duty of £2.67 a bottle plus 20% VAT account for several pounds of a typical £25 to £30 shelf price before the wine itself is counted.

01

Old vines, 20 to 100 years, on Etna's volcanic north slope

Cost up

Giuseppe Russo's 'A Rina draws on old Nerello in San Lorenzo, Calderara Sottana and Feudo di Mezzo at 650 to 800 metres; low-yielding mountain fruit is the main cost behind the £21 to £38 price.

Food Pairing

Nerello acidity and fine tannin: dishes that fit 'A Rina

'A Rina's bright acidity and savoury, stony edge favour Sicilian and meat-led plates. Beef, lamb and pasta are its most common company. Russo's own list points to mushroom risotto and aged cheese.

Acidity matching Strong match

Tomato-led Sicilian pasta and pizza

Nerello Mascalese keeps the high, fresh acidity that cuts tomato and ricotta salata. 'A Rina's mineral edge echoes the volcanic soils Sicilian cooking grew up on, so it frames pasta alla Norma without fighting the aubergine.

Try with: Pasta alla Norma · Sfincione, Sicilian Pizza · Pizza Marinara · More pairings →

Tannin softening Strong match

Lamb ragu and braised red meat

Fine, velvety tannins and bright acidity slice the fat and gelatine of slow-cooked lamb and beef. The wine's savoury, leathery side mirrors the braise rather than masking it.

Try with: Agnello Ragu Lucano · Brasato al Barolo · Agnello Cacio e Ova · More pairings →

Fat cutting Good match

Grilled and roasted red meat

Medium body and fresh acidity lift charred, fatty cuts off the palate, while the firm but fine tannin handles a rare Fiorentina. Etna Rosso's freshness keeps each bite clean.

Try with: Fiorentina steak · Brasato al Barolo · Agnello Ragu Lucano · More pairings →

Aromatic bridge Good match

Mushrooms and forest-floor flavours

'A Rina's earthy, stony character, its most telling trait, bridges to porcini and truffle. The red-cherry fruit keeps an earthy dish from turning heavy.

Try with: Porcini mushroom risotto · Truffle risotto · Radicchio risotto · More pairings →

Salt balance Good match

Aged sheep's-milk cheese

Fresh acidity and a salty, mineral finish meet the crystalline salt of aged pecorino, each sharpening the other. A medium-bodied red like this keeps a hard cheese from coating the palate.

Try with: Pecorino sardo e pan carasau · aged pecorino · ricotta salata · More pairings →

Avoid Clash

Fiery chilli heat and heavy oak

'A Rina is about freshness and finesse, not power. Bird's-eye chilli heat scorches its delicate red fruit, and a wine this fine is lost against heavily oaked, high-alcohol cooking. Keep it for savoury, herb-led plates instead.

Skip with: Vindaloo · Szechuan beef · Crispy chilli beef · Sweet and sour pork · Pairing guide →

Drinking + cellar

Cellaring 'A Rina Etna Rosso

Built to drink young, 'A Rina can rest five years or more. The 2022, from a structured Etna vintage, has the best mid-term upside; 2023 and 2024 reward earlier drinking.

Drinking window
2026 → 2032

Best in the years above; holds without falling over either side.

Decanting
1 hour

A short splash decant softens the first-pour edge and opens the aromatics.

Serving temperature
16-18°C

Aim for the cooler end on a warm day; warmer end opens up more aromatics.

Cellar potential
Medium

Built to drink young with five to eight years of upside in stronger vintages like 2022; this is the classic 'A Rina, not Russo's age-worthy single-contrada reds.

Buy now or wait?
Buy now

£25.39 for a 75cl bottle of the 2024, at 8wines, is the best price we track, and we have no signal of further discounting.

Sources & trust

Sources behind this 'A Rina page

Prices & stock

Read directly from each retailer’s public product page once a day. Last refresh: 29 Oct 2026, 04:10 BST. We do not hold stock and we do not accept payment for placement.

Confidence · High
Tasting notes

Drawn from what drinkers consistently report on Vivino, summarised in our own words. A crowd read across many tasters, not a single critic. Drinkers score it 4 out of 5 from 12,656 ratings on Vivino.

Confidence · Medium
Appellation rules & ageing

From the official Italian disciplinare for this denomination, cross-checked against the Ministry of Agriculture register.

Confidence · High
Why it costs what it costs

Our reading of the price, drawn from the disciplinare, public UK duty rates, and typical landed-cost benchmarks. Not a quote from the producer or a retailer.

Confidence · Medium
Drink window & cellar potential

Style guidance for this kind of wine at this price point. Treat it as advice, not a forecast for the bottle in your hand.

Confidence · Medium
Related

Explore Girolamo Russo, Nerello Mascalese and Etna

Producer
Azienda Agricola Girolamo Russo Sicily
Grapes
Nerello Mascalese Nerello Cappuccio
Denomination
Etna DOC
Region
Sicily Region guide

Common Questions

'A Rina is roughly 90% Nerello Mascalese with 10% Nerello Cappuccio, Etna's two native red grapes. The fruit comes from old vines in the contrade of San Lorenzo, Feudo, Calderara Sottana and Feudo di Mezzo on the volcano's northern slope.

Yes. It is well regarded, with 92 to 93 point scores from Gambero Rosso, Veronelli and other Italian guides. It is the estate's classic, most accessible Etna Rosso, and drinkers like it vintage after vintage.

Ruby and perfumed, with red cherry and plum, leather, tobacco and a stony, volcanic minerality. The palate is medium-bodied and fresh, with fine, velvety tannins and a savoury, lingering finish.

Its acidity and fine tannin suit Sicilian pasta alla Norma, porcini risotto, lamb ragu, grilled red meat and aged pecorino. Beef, lamb and pasta are the plates it meets most often.

It drinks well on release but can rest five years or more. The structured 2022 has the most mid-term potential; the fresher 2023 and 2024 are best enjoyed younger.

Yes. Giuseppe Russo farms the vineyards organically and bottles 'A Rina at the family estate in Passopisciaro, on Etna's north side. Around 40,000 bottles are made each year.

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Azienda Agricola Girolamo Russo a Rina
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