100% Zibibbo. The organic grapes are hand-harvested, then crushed and macerated on the skins before fermentation with indigenous yeasts. Ageing takes place in glass demijohns. The wine is neither filtered nor fined.
Rukia is the most saline and umami-driven expression in Tanca Nica’s celebrated quartet of single-vineyard Zibibbos: taut, mineral and deeply savoury, with a character shaped as much by the sea wind as by the soil beneath the vines.
It comes from vines planted in 1970, at 150 metres altitude on a west-facing slope, rooted in shallow soki soki soils over a lava bedrock. That combination of grey pumice over bare volcanic rock is what defines Rukia’s singular personality. The layer of volcanic mother rock lies just 40 centimetres deep, forcing the roots to work hard and drawing from one of the most mineral-charged substrates on the island. The west-facing exposure adds a further dimension: cooler than San Marco, more sheltered than Bugeber, and subjected to a different rhythm of wind and light that gives the grapes a distinct saline tension.
The result is a salty, umami-loaded wine that stands apart from its three sibling cuvées. Arguably the most umami expression of the range, with a smoky, mineral and saline edge that complements the intense stone fruits perfectly. Where Cufurà offers lift and herbs, and Bugeber delivers volcanic grip, Rukia occupies a uniquely ocean-inflected middle ground: precise, driven and endlessly moreish.
Rukia’s saline intensity and umami depth make it an exceptional companion to raw or lightly cured seafood such as oysters, sea urchin, cured anchovies or bottarga. It is equally at home alongside miso-glazed fish, aged hard cheeses, or a simple plate of capers, olives and good bread. A wine that makes everything taste more of the sea.
Ultra rare.
