Etna

The annual production of this boutique winery on Etna is just 9,000 bottles. At an altitude of 950 metres above sea level, the one and a half hectares of vines are divided into eight tiny plots and have been gradually bought up by the well-known Oenologist. The area is planted with Nerello Mascalese bush vines, which have been spared the phylloxera phylloxera and make their way through the lava-covered terraces.

Etna is one of Italy's most fascinating wine regions and Andrea Franchetti is probably the most fanatical producer in this area. Added to this are eighty-year-old indigenous Nerello Mascalese vines. The single vineyard Contrada Porcaria has a thoroughly masculine personality. Darkly scented with ripe fruit and menthol, the palate is predominantly spice and mineral with many other facets. The course and the final are rich, dense and very convincing. SUPERIORE.DE

Fragore by Donnafugata from the Etna region of Montelaguardia in Randazzo joins the collection of iconic wines Mille e una Notte and Ben Ryè. With only 15,000 bottles, Donnafugata has produced a limited edition treasure. Fragore means thunder in Italian and refers to the volcanic thunder of Mount Etna, Europe's highest and most active volcano. Grapes of the autochthonous Nerello Mascalese grape variety from selected vineyards were used.

Andrea Franchetti discovered this tiny, terraced plot back in 2000 – a narrow strip of black sand, as fine as face powder, between 870 and 950 metres above sea level on the northern Etna slope. Here, on the highest Chardonnay vineyard in Italy, he recognised an exceptional habitat for this Burgundian grape variety. However, it was only after years of precise observation, micro-vinifications at various stages of maturation and the realisation that this site has a personality all of its own that the estate decided to bottle the wine separately as Contrada PC in 2018. 36 hours of maceration, fermentation in neutral 20-hectolitre barrels, then 17 months of ageing in large oak barrels – at least six months on the fine lees to enrich the wine and emphasise its potential. The naturally occurring malolactic fermentation in the barrel gives the wine a creamy fullness without disguising its mineral precision. Bottled unfiltered according to the cycles of the waning moon, followed by a further year of bottle ageing to reach its full potential.

The individual parcels (micro-locations) on Etna are called Contrade and the Contrada Passochianche (PC) is the Chardonnay cru from the magical hand of Andrea Franchetti. The visionary, who sadly passed away in 2021, planted high-density Chardonnay here at an altitude of around 900 metres back in 2000. The 2018 vintage marked the debut of a wine that impressively reflects Franchetti's many years of experience on Etna. Like all Contrade wines, it has its very own personality and demonstrates very clearly how a grape variety gains its very own form of expression in different locations. Just 2,660 bottles of this fresh, characterful and salty-mineral Chardonnay were filled. SUPERIORE.DE

Ruby garnet colour, fine violet note and many spices in the bouquet. Dense and compact with taut tannin and sweet fruit melt. Given time, this already very elegant red (age of the vines: 100 years, production: 4,000 bottles) is at the beginning of a long, promising development. SUPERIORE.DE

Ruby garnet colour, fine violet and rose notes and many spices in the bouquet. Dense and compact with taut tannin and sweet fruit melt. Given time, this captivating red is at the beginning of a long, promising development. SUPERIORE.DE

Passopisciaro's Contrada C is an exquisite red with a dark sensual fruit bouquet. Stylistically like a great Pinot Noir or Nebbiolo, of remarkable intensity on the palate until the lingering final. A muscular and weightless wine at the same time. SUPERIORE.DE

Contrada Rampante grows on the highest vineyard of Passopisciaro. The soils have a higher sand content and the harvest takes place later here. On the nose, dark red cherries, flowers, mint and liquorice. Rampante is an elegant, energetic and dynamic red with clear fruit and silky tannins. SUPERIORE.DE

In the heart of the northern Etna amphitheatre, where time seems to be carved in stone, lies Calderara Sottana, the realm of black stones. Here, at an altitude of 600 to 650 metres in the municipality of Randazzo, one of the geological mysteries of the volcano is revealed: a terroir so rich in stones that in the exemplary zones the ground disappears beneath the stones - fist-sized, light chunks of black pumice and basalt. The name Calderara refers to the heat that the black stones collect during the day and return to the earth during the cold nights. Marc de Grazia recognised Calderara Sottana as one of the three sacred contrade of the pure elliptical heritage – that precious geological legacy from the activity of the Ellittico crater 60,000 to 15,000 years ago. Of all the DOC Etna crus, these are certainly the stoniest soils, even stonier than the aristocratic San Lorenzo in the west. Here, ancient vines 50 to 100 years old take root in this mineral labyrinth of volcanic rock, where every plant fights for every centimetre of fertile soil.

Passorosso is a single-varietal Nerello Mascalese that shows fine garnet-red reflections in its bright ruby red. Proud and fascinating, it presents an intense bouquet of red berries, coffee and olives. Its engaging taste convinces with clear, well-defined fruit and pronounced minerality. Graceful and special. SUPERIORE.DE

Chiappemacine lies below the famous Guardiola parcel, at an altitude of around 550 metres – a comparatively warm and wind-protected section by Etna standards, with broodingsoils consisting of quarried lava and ash. These conditions give the Nerello Mascalese from here a darker fruit, softer tannins and a more open character. The vines are around 80 years old and, as with all Contrada wines, the wine is aged for around 18 months in large, used wooden barrels.

Rampante lies high up on the northern slope of Mount Etna, at an altitude of around 1,000 metres – one of the coolest sites in Passopisciaro's portfolio. The vines grow on young, porous lava rock, which is rich in minerals and gives the wine a striking verticality and salinity. Nerello Mascalese shows its most delicate, tautest expression here. The vinification follows the usual house style: spontaneous fermentation, long maceration and approx. 18 months maturation in large, used wooden barrels.

Chiappemacine is the lowest of the five single vineyards of Passopisciaro – only 550 metres above sea level, at the lowest foothills of the Etna lava flows. Here, where the thin layer of lava meets a limestone bed to which the roots of the 70 to 100-year-old Nerello vines penetrate, a different style emerges: fuller, rounder, more accessible than the higher-lying contrade. This small domain covers just 1.2 hectares – but what grows here has its own personality. Fermented in steel tanks, matured for 18 months in large neutral oak barrels – a minimalist vinification that lets the terroir speak for itself.

Contrada Guardiola is one of the most iconic vineyards on the northern slope of Mount Etna. A high-altitude plot between 800 and 1,000 metres above sea level, where the extreme microclimate, the old bush vines and the ash, lava and pumice soils allow for an expression that is as raw as it is fascinating. The vines are deeply rooted in the porous rock and produce small-berried Nerello Mascalese grapes with an impressive aromatic concentration. The 2022 vintage was characterised by a dry spring and moderate temperatures in summer, with a late harvest that brought structure and freshness into balance. The wine is aged for 18 months in large, neutral barrels.

The Contrada Porcaria lies significantly lower than Rampante, at an altitude of around 650 metres, where the northern slope of Mount Etna is more powerful and warmer. The soil is older, darker, denser – and Nerello Mascalese here produces wines of impressive substance, with darker fruit, grippier tannins and more immediate presence. Passopisciaro's vinification remains deliberately restrained: spontaneous fermentation, long maceration, ageing in large, used oak barrels for around 18 months.

The four wines resulting from the collaboration between Dolce & Gabbana and Donnafugata show attention to detail and unconditional love for Sicily. They are the perfect expression of two top companies "Made in Italy". They represent the aesthetic fusion of craftsmanship, creativity and Sicilian passion. Together, they have created a unique collection of wines and packaging that emotionally capture Sicilian culture and lifestyle and express a clear commitment to the beauty and tradition of Sicily.

Sciaranuova lies at an altitude of just under 850 metres on the northern slope of Mount Etna, one of the coolest and at the same time most fascinating vineyards in the region. The site is characterised by young, porous lava flows that force the roots deep down and at the same time ensure extreme drainage. In the coolness of this altitude, the Nerello Mascalese ripens more slowly, with fine phenolic maturity and a distinctive acid structure. Vinification follows the familiar principle: spontaneous fermentation, long maceration, ageing in large used barrels.

"Sciara nuova" – new lava. The name reveals the special nature of this contrada at an altitude of 850 metres: the vines are rooted in a geologically young lava flow from the 17th century, which has turned into coarse, dense gravel. This tiny site in the village of Randazzo, known for its excellent vineyards and pistachio groves, covers just one hectare. Around 2,000 bottles are produced here every year, and the result is one of the most complex and fascinating wines in the Passopisciaro portfolio. Fermented in steel tanks, matured for 18 months in large neutral oak barrels – the minimalist vinification allows the terroir to speak unadulterated.

Guardiola is the heart of the estate – this is where the winery is located and Franchetti's own plot of land. An old domain between 800 and 1,000 metres above sea level, on the edge of the lava flow from the devastating 1947 eruption. The Nerello vines, which are over 100 years old, are deeply rooted in this mineral-rich soil, which was characterised by the most recent major eruption. Guardiola has only been vinified separately since 2011 – a careful selection of the oldest vines, which produce a deep, complex wine with a rich red fruit flavour. Fermented in steel tanks, 18 months in large neutral oak barrels: The minimalist vinification allows the terroir to speak for itself.

At the absolute limit of viticulture on Mount Etna, where the air becomes thin and the vines reach their biological limits, lies Rampante – the highest contrada of Passopisciaro at exactly 1,000 metres above sea level. This is no ordinary vineyard. This is a place where only the hardiest, oldest Nerello Mascalese vines can survive. Vines that now number over a century and claim the longest ripening period of all Etna vineyards every autumn. Andrea Franchetti realised as soon as he arrived in 2000 that Rampante had something special: Here, where the ancient lava has crumbled into fine sand, the most aromatic, airiest of all Passopisciaro wines is created. The name means "climbing, ascending" - and that is exactly what this wine does: it rises up from volcanic dust, carried by the coolness of the altitude, animated by the clarity of the mountain air.

The grapes for this fine white wine from the north side of Mount Etna come from the 3-hectare Contrada Muganazzi in the municipality of Passopisciaro. The skeleton-rich and pH-neutral soils are rich in iron and nitrogen and offer ideal conditions for fresh, acidic and mineral white wines. The wine is aged in equal parts in wood and stainless steel for 12 months on the fine lees. Muganazzi is neither a lean wine, nor is it too full-bodied. It is somewhere in between, with thick layers of peach, apricot and lots of fresh citrus fruit. The mineral notes such as gravel, flint and volcanic ash are very evident. An elegant, powerful Carricante with great drinking flow that clearly shows the signature of the sensitive Alberto Graci. SUPERIORE.DE

The youngest Nerello vines here are rooted in old volcanic soil: Pietradolce Rosso comes from plots in Solicchiata on the northern slopes of Mount Etna, around 600 metres above sea level. The terroir, a mixture of ash, basalt and sand, gives the wine a precise structure and striking minerality. Clear ruby red in colour with light reflections. Fragrant on the nose and typical of young Nerello Mascalese: Sour cherry, redcurrant, some blood orange and a hint of violet. Lean, fresh and taut on the palate with lively acidity and grippy tannins that blend harmoniously with the juicy fruit. The finish is straightforward, spicy and characterised by a fine mineral salinity. An authentic Etna Rosso with a clear signature – accessible and direct, but anything but arbitrary. SUPERIORE.DE

Contrada Arrigo is located on the northern slope of Mount Etna at 610 metres above sea level, facing north-east with a view of the sea. Wine has been grown on this ancient soil since time immemorial. It is rich in organic substances and consists mainly of volcanic sand and lava stones from a volcanic eruption in 1180. Significant temperature fluctuations during the day and night lead to a slow ripening process that preserves freshness and minerality.