Profile

Structure

Bodyfull
Tanninhigh
Acidityhigh
Sweetnessdry
Oaklarge or old casks

Drinking window

Best 8 to 25 years from vintage.

vintage8 yrs25 yrs27 yrs

Critic scores

No critic score is published for this bottle that we can cite with a reviewer, a vintage and a review year, so none is shown. The rating above is our own.

In the glass

Full-bodiedHigh tanninHigh acidityDryVery Long, Tobacco-Iron finish

Aroma: dried cherry, tobacco, spice, iron mineral

Palate: concentrated dark fruit, firm tannic structure, mineral depth, very long finish

Sicily's most historic prestige red: Tasca's Rosso del Conte blends Nero d'Avola with Perricone from the Regaleali plateau, aged two years in large oak. It is the island's longest-established benchmark for structured, age-worthy Sicilian reds.

What it pairs with

  • Slow-roasted whole lamb Only a wine of this structure can stand up to a whole slow-roasted lamb at the Regaleali estate.More wines for lamb →
  • Aged Sicilian cheeses High tannin and acidity are the classic structural match for the concentrated aged-cheese board.More wines for cheese →
  • Wild boar with chestnuts The wine's tobacco-mineral depth and dense fruit complement game with earthy accompaniments.More wines for wild boar →

With cheese

Caciocavallo Palermitano Our pick A caciocavallo aged towards six months is piquant, with a compact paste that flakes. Nero d'Avola-led reds bring dark fruit, tannin and acidity to carry that sharpness, and the weight to meet a wheel kept long enough to grate. Pecorino Siciliano Our pick Aged Pecorino Siciliano is salty, with heat that builds over 4 to 8 months. Full-bodied Sicilian reds, from native blends to Syrah, Cabernet and Petit Verdot, bring the concentration and tannin to stand up to it.

How to serve Tasca d'Almerita Rosso del Conte

Allow 95 minutes from open to pour.

  1. Open and decant. Open 90 minutes before serving and pour into a decanter to aerate.
  2. Serve at 16-18°C. Cellar temperature (16-18°C) is the band for this style. Warmer pushes alcohol forward; colder dampens aromatics.
  3. Glassware. Use a large Bordeaux-style glass: the bowl shape rewards the wine's structure.
  4. Pair with. Slow-roasted whole lamb, Aged Sicilian cheeses, Wild boar with chestnuts. Match the wine's structure to the dish's fat and salt.

History

Rosso del Conte has been produced at Regaleali since 1970, with over five decades of continuous bottling. Lucio Tasca d'Almerita created it when Sicilian fine wine barely existed as a category, drawing on the plateau's native Nero d'Avola and the nearly extinct Perricone grape. It remains the signature red of Regaleali.

  1. 1970First Rosso del Conte produced at Regaleali (1970); an early modern Sicilian estate red

Facts

Producer
Tasca d'Almerita · visiting guide
Grapes
Nero d'Avola, Perricone
Classification
Contea di Sclafani DOC
Oak
Aged in large Slavonian oak casks, 24 months
ABV
14.0%
Price
EUR 45-70 at retail
Drinking window
8-25 from vintage
First vintage
1970

Frequently asked about Tasca d'Almerita Rosso del Conte

What does Tasca d'Almerita Rosso del Conte taste like?

On the nose, dried cherry, tobacco, spice, iron mineral. On the palate, concentrated dark fruit, firm tannic structure, mineral depth, very long finish. Structurally full-bodied, high tannins, high acidity with a very long, tobacco-iron finish. Sicily's most historic prestige red: Tasca's Rosso del Conte blends Nero d'Avola with Perricone from the Regaleali plateau, aged two years in large oak. It is the island's longest-established benchmark for structured, age-worthy Sicilian reds.

When should I drink Tasca d'Almerita Rosso del Conte?

Drink 8-25 from vintage. Young vintages benefit from 30-90 minutes of decanting; mature bottles should be handled carefully for sediment.

What food pairs with Tasca d'Almerita Rosso del Conte?

Slow-roasted whole lamb is the canonical pairing. Other strong matches include Aged Sicilian cheeses and Wild boar with chestnuts. Only a wine of this structure can stand up to a whole slow-roasted lamb at the Regaleali estate.

What grapes are in Tasca d'Almerita Rosso del Conte?

The blend is Nero d'Avola, Perricone. The wine is classified as Contea di Sclafani DOC.

Tags

cellar worthy dry full body high acid high tannin iconic mood contemplative mood elegant nero d avola occasion cellar occasion gift occasion special old vines old world pairs with aged cheese pairs with game pairs with red meat perricone price premium still red

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