Etna

An Etna Rosso full of temptation and polished elegance, Ulysse is a reference to Odysseus' legendary naval voyages and this vibrant tension between the Nerello grape and the unique Etna terroir reflects precisely this balance between adventure and the spirit of discovery. Intense ruby red in colour with garnet hues. The nose opens with an aroma of cherry, blackcurrant and raspberry, along with spicy, subliminal pepper, vanilla and a hint of tobacco – clear, precise and pleasantly inviting. On the palate, Ulysse has a moderate body, juicy fruit and fine but present acidity. The tannins are softly embedded, the finish is long, with a fine aftertaste and a lot of flavour that whets the appetite for the next sip. An accessible, cultivated Etna Rosso – ideal with dark poultry, grilled vegetables or mildly matured cheese. Have a good trip! SUPERIORE.DE

Between the lava flows of Rovittello, a wine is created that reveals the delicate side of the volcano. Erse Rosato, made predominantly from Nerello Cappuccio and a smaller proportion of Nerello Mascalese from the only hectare of vineyards exposed to the north-east at an altitude of 700 metres. Here, where the morning breeze blows up from the Alcantara Valley and the afternoon heat is kept at bay by the ancient sciare, a rosato of exceptional personality develops. The two Nerello varieties are vinified separately with a cold maceration of 12 hours at 12-14°C to gently extract colour and aromas before being combined for alcoholic fermentation and subsequent refinement in stainless steel tanks.

Erse Etna Rosso has a lively and spicy bouquet of sour cherries, dried roses, cloves and a hint of fresh mint. Round and juicy on the palate, yet pure, with mineral red berries that saturate, while the lively acidity retains a fantastic freshness. A subtle coating of fine tannins and a saline note define the final as it tapers gently and grippingly under a hint of red flowers. Wonderful value. SUPERIORE.DE

The Rosato from the Alta Mora range is made from old Nerello Mascalese vines growing on slopes between 600 and 800 metres above sea level on the northern flanks of Mount Etna. The barren, volcanic soils, characterised by lava rock and mineral ash, lend the wine a tension typical of its terroir and a delicate, salty depth. The grapes are harvested early and pressed immediately to preserve freshness and finesse. The wine is aged exclusively in stainless steel.

Diego and Alberto Cusumano had a dream that took many years to realise. The family, the third generation of one of Sicily's most important wine houses, searched for years for the right piece of Etna – and found it in Castiglione di Sicilia in 2013. On the northern slope of the volcano, in districts such as Verzella, Feudo di Mezzo, Guardiola and Solicchiata, at an altitude of 800 metres, in black, mineral-rich lava soils. Alta Mora – high and black – is not just a name. It is a description of the place. 100% Nerello Mascalese, hand-picked in October. Mash fermentation lasts twelve days in steel, followed by six months in large 25 hectolitre oak barrels. An accessible entry into the Alta Mora portfolio – and a clear statement: the Nerello Mascalese at these altitudes needs no staging.

Here is one of the finest expressions of the white Carricante grape variety, aged on the fine lees for six months. Alta Mora Bianco comes from vineyards on the northern slopes of Mount Etna, where Carricante vines thrive at altitudes of 600 to 900 metres – directly on volcanic rock rich in minerals and ash. The cool altitude, combined with intense sunshine and significant day-night temperature variations, imbues this wine with an unmistakable freshness, structure and salty tension. The wine is aged exclusively in stainless steel to ensure that the purity of the grape variety and the terroir is conveyed unadulterated in the glass.

Nerello Mascalese is known as the protagonist of the elegant Etna red wines – but as a rosato, this noble grape variety has a fascination all of its own. Benanti vinifies it as a single variety from the south-eastern slope of the volcano, where the vines are rooted in mineral-rich volcanic sands at an altitude of 500 to 700 metres. The grapes are harvested by hand at the beginning of October from vines on trellises that are on average 25 years old. After twelve hours of cold maceration, the grapes are gently pressed; only 65% of the must is transferred to the stainless steel tank. Ten days of fermentation at a controlled temperature with the winery's own Etna yeast, followed by maturation on the fine lees and two to three months of rest in the bottle.

When you start afresh on Etna, you don't start small. In 2016, Davide Rosso acquired fourteen hectares in Solicchiata, at the foot of the extinct small crater Montedolce on the north-eastern slope of the volcano – at 730 to 750 metres, in a microclimate that immediately brought to mind the Langhe precision with which he grew up: cool nights, strong temperature amplitudes, mineral-rich lava sand soils, constant ventilation. "Contrade Nuove" – the new sites – stands for the estate's younger Carricante vines, cultivated as Alberello in a north-north-easterly exposure. They represent a different tone to the old vines of the main cuvée: livelier, more direct, with a freshness and accessibility that makes the terroir of Montedolce immediately recognisable. 100% Carricante. Spontaneous fermentation at low temperatures in stainless steel for 15 to 20 days. Then five months sur lie with weekly bâtonnage – no wood, no intervention, just the volcano with its soil and climate.

100% Carricante from one of the youngest and most promising cru sites on the northern Etna slope: Contrada Taccione is located around 700 metres above sea level in Castiglione di Sicilia, characterised by volcanic sand, basalt rock and millennia-old ash. It is a landscape in motion, shaped by lava, wind and time. It is precisely this tension between barrenness and energy that Planeta translates here into a wine that seems to be made for quiet tones.

A volcanic masterpiece from Sicily’s latest wine revolution: since 2023, Etna winemakers have been permitted for the first time to indicate their specific Contrada on the label – a historic innovation that pays tribute to the region’s centuries-old understanding of terroir. Planeta’s flagship wine from the Contrada Feudo di Mezzo embodies this new era with impressive clarity. The Planeta family, Sicilian wine pioneers since 1694, reached the northern slopes of Etna in 2008 and immediately recognised the extraordinary potential of the volcanic soils. In Feudo di Mezzo, situated at an altitude of 610 metres, wines of unique expressiveness are produced on black lava sands and mineral-rich sediments. The winery was built in 2012 on a lava flow dating from 1566. A symbol of the connection between modern winemaking and geological history.

Delicate, elegant Nerello Mascalese with fine aromas of red fruits and raspberries, enveloped in a pleasant citrus freshness. As the wine progresses, it develops a smoky note associated with the strong lava rock component that characterises the volcanic soil of Etna. Lively, harmonious and full of flavour on the palate – a resolutely versatile wine that goes perfectly with a variety of fish dishes, shellfish and white meat. SUPERIORE.DE

Donnafugata's impressive declaration of love to Etna, currently the hottest wine hotspot, began with the Sul Vulcano line. Light ruby red in colour, with a bouquet of wild strawberry and delicate hints of black cherry, cinnamon and nutmeg. The corresponding, fresh flavour and subtle elegance lead to a harmonious and energetic finish. SUPERIORE.DE

An Etna Rosso with a clear vision: Ghiaia Nera is the introduction to the volcanic world of Tenuta Tascante – straightforward, elegant and characterised by the dramatic tension of the volcano. The grapes come from various locations on the north side of Mount Etna, around Randazzo and Castiglione di Sicilia. Volcanic sand, high altitude and large temperature differences characterise the style. It is traditionally matured in large wooden barrels. Brilliant ruby red colour with garnet hues in the glass. The nose opens with ripe cherry, dried raspberry, some orange zest and fine herbal notes. Juicy on the palate, with fresh acidity and a fine-grained tannin reminiscent of black tea. A wine with precision and cool noblesse, not a powerhouse, but a finely drawn red wine that clearly emphasises its origins. SUPERIORE.DE

A multi-faceted introduction to the world of Benanti wines – this Etna Rosso reflects the polyphony of the volcano. The grapes come from altitudes between 450 and 900 metres, distributed on all sides of Mount Etna. The soil is barren and volcanic-sandy, rich in minerals and perfectly aerated – conditions that enable finesse, freshness and crystalline structure. 80% Nerello Mascalese/20% Nerello Cappuccio. The Nerello Mascalese matures predominantly in stainless steel, with only around 20% in used oak barrels, while the Nerello Cappuccio remains entirely in stainless steel tanks. Both varieties ferment with Benanti's experimental, indigenous yeasts for several weeks at a controlled temperature, followed by blending and further ageing in the bottle.

The grapes for the Sul Vulcano Rosato come from the northern slopes of Mount Etna, where Nerello Mascalese thrives on volcanic soils in a cool, high-altitude climate. The grapes are harvested early, gently pressed and matured exclusively in stainless steel tanks to emphasise the freshness and finesse of the variety. Pale pink in the glass with a salmon-coloured shimmer – stylish and precise. The nose smells of white cherry, wild strawberry, some citrus and a fine hint of wild herbs and flint. Straightforward, cool and silky on the palate with clear fruit, gripping freshness and minerality. The volcanic origin is evident in the salty depth, which lingers for a long time. A sophisticated rosato with a cool alpine profile and subtle energy – ideal with refined seafood dishes, grilled vegetables or sophisticated summer cuisine. SUPERIORE.DE

This single-varietal Carricante from Tenuta Tascante comes from the districts of Feudo in Castiglione di Sicilia and Salice in Milo. The vineyards grow at an altitude of 600 metres on the north side of Mount Etna on volcanic sedimentary soils from different eras. The majority of the grapes grow on a terrace in Contrada Sciaranuova. Vinified in cool stainless steel, this white wine retains the mineral clarity and sulphurous notes of the indigenous grape variety. Linear and vertical, it presents itself with the characteristic acidity of Carricante, showing volcanic vigour in elegant purity. An authentic Etna character with four months of ageing on the lees that brings the aura of the volcano directly into the glass. SUPERIORE.DE

Carricante from Planeta's Etna vineyard is an exceptional wine full of freshness, energy and minerality. This noble grape variety thrives in exclusive conditions, on volcanic soils and at altitudes of 870 metres. A wonderfully complex pleasure that is only ever released for sale two years after the harvest. The eruption of 1614 is legendary in the history of Etna, as it lasted ten years, making it the longest recorded eruption of the active volcano to date. A very impressive and fitting name for Planeta's Etna series of equally impressive wines. SUPERIORE.DE

The eruption of 1614 is legendary in the history of Etna, as it lasted ten years, making it the longest recorded eruption of the active volcano to date. A very impressive and fitting name for Planeta's Etna series of equally impressive wines. It could hardly be more autochthonous: this excellent wine from the Nerello Mascalese grape comes from the hotspot on the east coast of Sicily, from the slopes of Mount Etna. Bright cherry red in colour, a fine aroma of raspberry and blood orange, gripping, taut acidity, silky tannins and a lively elegance with beautiful minerality. Great, long and unique! SUPERIORE.DE

Donnafugata's impressive declaration of love to Etna, currently the hottest wine hotspot, began with the Sul Vulcano line. Carricante is one of the most exciting grape varieties in southern Italy, capable of complexity and terroir-driven expression in the right soils. The vines for Donnafugata's only white wine from Etna grow on volcanic soils rich in minerals at an altitude of 700-750 metres. The wine is fermented in steel tanks before maturing partly in concrete tanks and partly in second and third choice barriques for 10 months and then a further nine months in the bottle.

Cottanera's Etna Bianco draws its expressiveness and a certain depth from Carricante grapes, which thrive at an altitude of around 750 metres in the barren, dark volcanic soils on the north side of the volcano. The interplay of high altitude, cool climate and mineral subsoil characterises the tension and freshness of this charismatic white wine. Straw yellow in colour with a silvery sheen. White flowers meet yellow citrus fruits, crisp pears and a hint of wet stone on the nose. Clear and straightforward on the palate with lively acidity, a fine texture and salty minerality that reflects the Etna terroir. A refreshingly purist Etna Bianco that harmoniously combines finesse and depth – ideal with oysters, ceviche or simply as a meditative soloist. SUPERIORE.DE