Etna Wines

When Andrea Franchetti stood on the abandoned terraces of Mount Etna in 2000, he wasn't just dreaming of the renaissance of Nerello Mascalese. He dreamed of something impossible: a wine that would capture the fire of the volcano in bottle form – deep black like cooled lava, dense like volcanic smoke, concentrated like the embers inside the earth. In the Contrada Guardiola, at an altitude of 820 metres, he planted two grape varieties in the early 2000s that never belonged there: Petit Verdot from Saint-Julien and Cesanese d'Affile from Lazio – a vine that he saved from extinction. The Sicilians thought he was crazy. The wine world was sceptical. But in 2005, when the first vintage was released, the critics fell silent. Franchetti had not only created a wine – he had materialised his vision of Etna.

Particella No. 341. A plot number that has long since become the stuff of legend amongst Etna connoisseurs. Here, in the Contrada Dafara Galluzzo in the upper reaches of Rovittello, stand vines that have never left Europe – ungrafted Alberello vines that have been rooted in the volcanic sands of the northern slope for over a century. When Giuseppe Benanti began to realise his vision of modern Etna wine in 1988, the classic Rovittello was one of his first red wines. The experience matured over almost three decades – until, in 2015, the winery decided to vinify this unique plot separately and elevate it to Riserva status through an exceptional ageing programme totalling 60 months.

The Grand Cru Sopra il Pozzo is Graci's personal homage to a tiny section of land within the Contrada Arcurìa – a higher part, stony, barren, cool, at around 750 metres above sea level. The soil: decomposed lava basalt, ash, pumice. Low in nutrients, but full of energy. Old Nerello Mascalese vines are rooted here in bush form in harmony with the centuries-old cultural landscape of the northern slope of Mount Etna. The 2019 vintage was balanced and significantly cooler than its predecessors, characterised by a long vegetation cycle with late harvest. The result: an Etna Rosso with precise fruit, lively acidity and clear linearity – less volume, more depth. Vinification is classic: spontaneous fermentation with maceration for approx. 30 days, followed by ageing for 24 months in large neutral barrels.

Particella No. 341. A plot number that has long since become legendary amongst Etna connoisseurs. For almost thirty years, Benanti produced an Etna Rosso Rovittello, then in 2015 the estate decided to focus entirely on this small section of the vineyard, planted before the phylloxera epidemic. It is situated in the upper Rovittello area near Castiglione di Sicilia, on a north-facing slope at 750 metres, where the climate is damp and windy and temperatures fluctuate greatly. Walls of lava stone, laid without mortar, support the narrow terraces. Here stand bush vines over a hundred years old, never grafted, planted as a mixed vineyard comprising around 90% Nerello Mascalese and the remainder Nerello Cappuccio, with 9,000 to 10,000 vines and a yield of around 5,500 kilos per hectare. The soil is sandy and rich in minerals; it was formed more than ten thousand years ago.

An old well at the upper edge of the plot still marks the spot where, within the Contrada Arcurìa, the highest and smallest area begins – the very place that gives the wine its name. This 25-hectare heart of the estate is also the place where Alberto Graci began his return to Mount Etna in 2004. Whilst the rest of the vineyard lies between 600 and 700 metres, this small and very special section climbs up to 700 metres and has always produced the most concentrated grapes on the entire estate. The name derives not only from the well but, above all, from the soil: the so-called "Rifusa", a mixture of layered lava boulders and coarse volcanic sand that retains hardly any water and forces the vines to put down deep roots.

Only white wines from Milo, on the eastern flank of Mount Etna, are permitted to bear the "Superiore" designation. Giuseppe Benanti has been keen to demonstrate the potential of Carricante there since 1988. After two experimental vintages, 1990 was the first year the estate bottled a wine, and this wine was one of the first two it brought to market. The name of this wine evokes volcanic landscapes, flint, minerals and salty sea breezes. The vines are situated at an altitude of around 800 metres, facing east towards the Ionian Sea: old bush vines trained on chestnut stakes, on small terraces with dry stone walls made of lava rock, in mineral-rich volcanic soil. The wine comes from the uppermost part of the vineyard, where the altitude slows down ripening. It is damp and rainy; it snows in winter, the wind blows constantly, and there are significant differences between day and night. What ripens slowly there retains its acidity, freshness and delicate aromas.

A Nerello from the flanks of Etna – radical in its origins, resolute in its form. Alberelli di Giodo is the Sicilian expression of the signature of Carlo Ferrini, one of Italy's most respected Oenologist. The vines are rooted in Contrada Rampante, 950 metres above sea level on the northern slopes of the volcano – one of the most prestigious sites on the north side of Mount Etna. Grown in the traditional Alberello system, the vines stand on mineral-rich, sandy-volcanic soils interspersed with ash, basalt and pumice. They are ancient vines from times before the phylloxera plague – each one a gnarled, living testimony to the volcanic earth.

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.

In the tranquil stillness of Calderara Sottana, where time follows its own rules, lies a sanctuary: La Vigna di Don pep. Here, on barely 0.8 hectares of ancient volcanic soil, the vines have worked a miracle: they survived the great phylloxera disaster that ravaged the whole of Europe more than a century ago and destroyed millions of vineyards. These few rows of ungrafted Nerello Mascalese vines, which have been rooted in the stony soils of the elliptical terroir since 1880, are living witnesses to over 140 years of viticultural history. They stand there like aged princesses in a royal garden; their charming wrinkles tell of generations they have seen come and go, whilst they themselves have remained steadfast.

Alongside the Fragore, this Etna cru – named after the single vineyard of the same name, Contrada Marchesa – is Donnafugata’s second top wine from the volcano. Its label features a volcanic goddess adorned with flowers and fruit, alongside the medieval village of Castiglione di Sicilia. The Nerello vines grow on mineral-rich lava soil; the vineyard's location in the north of the volcano ensures moderate summers with significant temperature fluctuations between day and night.

Fragore by Donnafugata, from the Montelaguardia area of the Etna region in Randazzo, joins the collection of iconic wines Mille e una Notte and Ben Ryè. With just 15,000 bottles, Donnafugata has produced a limited-edition treasure. "Fragore" means "thunder" in Italian: it refers to the volcanic rumblings of Mount Etna, Europe's highest and most active volcano. The wine is made from grapes of the indigenous Nerello Mascalese variety, sourced from selected vineyards.

The vines for Sant'Andrea are rooted at an altitude of around 900 metres in the Contrada of the same name north-east of Solicchiata – one of the highest and coolest wine villages on Etna. It is a place with dramatic vegetation, fog banks, ancient lava layers and unpredictable temperature changes. Here, Carricante develops a completely independent, almost ascetic character. The grapes come from a tiny parcel of old vines, which Pietradolce cultivates with painstaking manual labour. The wine is matured with calm consistency: spontaneous fermentation in large oak barrels, followed by maturation on the fine lees for 12 months in tonneau, then bottle ageing.

In the upper areas of the historic Contrada Rovittello – at an altitude of around 700 metres, on volcanic rock with a high basalt content – the old Nerello Mascalese vines of Il Musmeci take root. Some of them are even over 100 years old, their roots penetrating deep into the barren, mineral-rich soil. The north-eastern flank of Mount Etna provides a cool microclimate with a strong contrast between day and night – decisive for the aromatic precision. The name Il Musmeci is a tribute to the former owner of the parcel, Cav. Santi Musmeci, whose respect for terroir and tradition became the legacy of this wine.

The pure, autochthonous Nerello Mascalese from over 100-year-old (ungrafted) vines in Contrada Rampante on the northern slopes of Mount Etna at an altitude of 950 metres starts with a sparkling ruby-garnet colour and impressively adds a captivating raspberry aroma, followed by fine spicy notes (ginger, allspice, clove). Compact, dense, fully fruity, tannic on the palate, yet always extremely relaxed, elegant and supple. Traces of salt and flint on the finish. Just over 2,000 bottles of this masterpiece are produced every year. SUPERIORE.DE

The wine bears the name of its creator – and with good reason. Andrea Franchetti, the pioneer of modern Etna viticulture who sadly died far too early in 2021, dared to do the unthinkable in the early 2000s: he planted international grape varieties at extreme altitudes on a remote lava slope in Passopisciaro with the aim of producing a wine that would not adapt but set new standards. Franchetti is made from Petit Verdot and Cesanese d'Affile in one of the highest and most radiant areas of the volcano. The lava rock, the light, the altitude – everything here seems more concentrated, more intense, magical, almost supernatural.

There are wines that define a region. Pietra Marina is one such wine. When it became the first Etna ever to receive the Tre Bicchieri of the Gambero Rosso in 2007 – and when Benanti was named Winery of the Year in the same year –This was more than just an honour: it marked the birth of the modern Etna Bianco on the world stage. The name itself tells the story: Pietra Marina, sea stone – a word that combines volcanic landscapes, flint, minerality and a salty sea breeze. Since 1991, the first vintage, Giuseppe Benanti has conceived this wine as proof of the potential of the Carricante from Milo. Today it is recognised as one of the most typical, elegant and long-lived white wines in Italy. The grapes come from the uppermost, more porous part of the Contrada Rinazzo – the same location as Contrada Rinazzo, but from a sector with less sandy, more skeletal soil. Here, at an altitude of 800 metres, steep terraces with dry stone walls made of black lava stone look eastwards towards the Ionian Sea, just eight kilometres away. The Alberello vines, some over 90 years old, are rooted in mineral-rich volcanic sand with a sub-acidic profile. Extreme planting densities of 8,000 to 9,000 vines per hectare and yields of just 5,500 kg guarantee concentration. The climate: humid, often snowy in winter, with exceptional ventilation and marked day-night fluctuations.

Contrada Sciaranuova Vecchie Vigne is the most concentrated, broodingvoice from the Sciaranuova vineyard - a Nerello Mascalese from vines over 80 years old, grown at an altitude of 730 metres on the northern flank of Mount Etna. The ungrafted vines stand in an amphitheatre of dark, sandy volcanic ash, interspersed with basalt rock and characterised by enormous day-night amplitude. The 2019 vintage was one of the most balanced of the decade: a rainy spring was followed by a moderately warm summer and a dry autumn, which allowed for a late, very differentiated harvest.

At an altitude of 900 metres, on the northern slope of Mount Etna, lies a tiny amphitheatre. It is not a geometric structure, not a terraced work of human hands – but a natural cauldron of volcanic ash and lava rock, where old Nerello Mascalese vines have stood for more than a century, surrounded by wild flowers, olive trees, figs and cherries. James Button from Decanter wrote: Barbagalli is the most picturesque vineyard he has ever seen on Etna. Anyone who has ever visited it will understand why he doesn't seek any further comparison. These vines survived phylloxera. Almost all vineyards in Europe were destroyed by phylloxera at the end of the 19th century. Here, at an altitude of 900 metres, in black volcanic sand and rubble-rich rock, the pest had no basis back then. The vines are still standing on their own roots. The same roots that were pressed into this earth 100 to 120 years ago. They are reminiscent of an Etna that nobody recognises anymore.

Tasca d'Almerita recalls the first vintage of their legendary Rosso del Conte from the San Lucio vineyard with this lush Riserva del Conte. Ruby red, the aromas of berries, cherries and spices have wonderfully taken the wood into their midst. A lively taste, dense tannins and an endless finish complete the perfect picture. SUPERIORE.DE

Tasca got involved in Etna early on and the latest result of these years of experience are four new single vineyard wines from the Tascante estate: Contrada Rampante, Pianodario, Sciaranuova and Sciaranuova Vigna Vecchia (V.V.). The wines are delicate and profound, and despite their power, acidity and taut tannin, very elegant, finesse-rich and light-footed on the palate. Each of the four plots brings a slightly different style and personality to the wine - due to the altitude, soil composition and morphology of the historic lava flows. A high annual rainfall ensures that the soil has all the water it needs, and the temperature fluctuations between day and night support the aromatic diversity of the grapes and ultimately the ripening potential.