Wines from Sicily

The single vineyard Guarnaschelli is a 60-year-old vineyard with a slight westerly exposure. A loamy matrix of brown skeletal soils can be found here. This generous soil, characterised by limestone, gives the wines finesse and minerality. Here, the plants produce grapes of consistently high quality every year - the result of deep roots and restrained, intelligent vineyard work. The strong exposure to the sun is tempered by constant winds blowing from all directions. This sets in motion a play of temperature fluctuations from which the old vines benefit to produce complex and aromatic grapes.

L'amore mio – my love. Rarely does a wine carry its character so openly in its name. This rosé spumante is Benanti's declaration of love for the Nerello Mascalese – the noble red grape variety that is otherwise synonymous with elegant red wines with a Burgundian grace on Etna. As Metodo Classico, it reveals a completely different, no less enchanting side. The grapes come from the south and south-east slopes of the volcano, where the vines are rooted between 700 and 750 metres in mineral-rich volcanic sands. Hand-picked, whole bunch pressing without destemming, fermentation at 16–18 °C in stainless steel. The base wine rests on the fine lees until late spring, followed by bottle fermentation with selected yeasts. After 24 months on the lees, disgorgement and dosage take place; a further three months of rest complete the maturation.

There are pyramids in the Vigna Iannazzo. Not the Egyptian ones – small, hand-built towers made of black lava, which farmers stacked out of the fields for centuries when clearing the land for farming. Each stone was carried, each tower layered, without mortar, using the ancient dry stone walling technique. The Piramidi dell'Etna – as they are called – are today one of the silent, unmistakable landmarks of the Cottanera vineyards. And they stand right here: in the Vigna Iannazzo, a named single vineyard within the Contrada Feudo di Mezzo, one of the recognised MGAs of Castiglione di Sicilia.

Five years of patience for a moment in a glass. When Donnafugata and Dolce&Gabbana decided to crown their Sicilian congeniality with a sparkling wine in 2019, they knew that a Metodo Classico of this calibre needed time. The grapes – exclusively Nerello Mascalese from the slopes of Mount Etna – were harvested in the autumn, when nobody could have guessed how long the journey would take. 36 months on the lees, another two years of waiting. Release in spring 2025.

White wines from Etna are always special and are in a league of their own due to the generally very old vines, the extreme altitude and the usually minimal yield per hectare. The area around the small town of Milo is the only vineyard site on Etna where an Etna Bianco can be bottled as Superiore - and for good reason: only Carricante can be planted on the steep vineyard, which consists of dozens of small terraces. When the origin of the Carricante grapes is the small parcel (Contrada) Caselle with mostly 100-year-old ungrafted bush vines (Alberelli), even connoisseurs can be excited. The soil, which was formed by centuries of volcanic activity, has numerous layers of minerals and salts, pumice, lapilli, fine and light ash. This extremely rare terroir is particularly fertile and produces late-ripening, healthy, fresh and very flavourful grapes despite the generally high thermal excesses during the summer. Less than 1,000 bottles of this exceptional wine are produced in good years, so you can imagine that we consider ourselves lucky to be able to offer a few cases of this rare wine.

Now in its 30th vintage, it has long been an icon of modern Sicilian winemaking: Planeta’s Chardonnay combines the tradition of French grape varieties with the sun-drenched terroir of the south, producing one of Italy’s most distinctive white wines year after year. The grapes come from two different altitudes: Ulmo at 250 metres and Maroccoli at 415 metres above sea level. In the glass, it is a radiant golden yellow with slightly greenish highlights. The aroma is intense and refined: yellow tropical fruits, toasted almonds, citrus blossom, vanilla, wet stone and a hint of salty butter. On the palate, it is dense and full-bodied, with ripe fruit, a perfect balance between freshness and creaminess, subtle spice and a long, elegant finish. A cult wine that combines Mediterranean richness with Burgundian nobility. Ideal with lobster, fried fish, poultry in butter sauce, or on its own as a great white wine with real character. 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.

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.

Ruby red, with a fine cherry scent, in which there are also hints of nuts and wild berries, vanilla, cinnamon, sage and tobacco. Concentrated, rich flavour with harmonious tannins and a long, velvety final. SUPERIORE.DE

Davide Rosso had long since successfully written the Serralunga chapter when he rode up Etna for the first time in 2014. He was not looking for a second mainstay. He was looking for a terroir that would challenge him – as the limestone marl of Serralunga had once challenged him. He found it on the northern slope of the volcano, in the Solicchiata fraction, and bought a 14-hectare estate in Contrada Montedolce in 2016. An old palmento, lava soil, 750 metres above sea level. But he didn't stop there. In 2023, he acquired two more hectares in Contrada Pietra Marina – one of the best white vineyards in the entire Etna region, historically famous for the quality of its Carricante, directly influenced by the nearby Alcantara River. The soils here are a unique mixture: volcanic sand and ash, enriched by fluvial silt and sandstone, shaped by thousands of years of tectonic and hydraulic forces. No other piece of land on Etna offers this specific dual character – volcanic energy and mineral river coolness in one vineyard.

A wonderfully concentrated and elegant wine that is already drinking excellently. On the nose, the typical varietal bouquet with light balsamic notes. Pleasantly straight and fine on the palate, silky and full of harmony. SUPERIORE.DE

Ruby red, with a fine cherry scent, in which there are also hints of nuts and forest fruits, vanilla, cinnamon, sage and tobacco. Concentrated, rich flavour with harmonious tannins and a long, velvety final. SUPERIORE.DE

Franchetti Rosso is Passopisciaro's flagship wine and a stunningly perfect wine. The grapes come from 1000-metre-high northern Etna vineyard sites, where the soils are ash and pumice. Franchetti is a ripe, exotic wine that envelops the palate with dark fruit. Refined tannins support the fruit, while an intense inner sweetness adds elegance and finesse. A thoroughly outstanding drop. SUPERIORE.DE

Carricante is the white soul of Etna. While Nerello Mascalese attracts the attention of the world, Carricante works quietly and consistently – a grape variety that develops deep minerality on volcanic lava sand and an acidity structure that can last for decades. On the northern Etna slope, in the Contrada Cottanera, lies the vineyard to which this estate has given its name and to which it now dedicates its purest white wine. Hand-picked with careful grape selection. What follows is a conscious decision: 5 to 6 hours of maceration in the press – longer than most producers would risk with Carricante, and yet it is not a so-called orange wine. The skin contact gives texture, depth and a phenolic structure that supports the subsequent ageing. Fermentation in concrete vats at 14 to 22 °C – the material that breathes without overlaying. Then 24 months in concrete, 24 more in the bottle. A full four years from the vineyard to the glass.

Chardonnay Vigna San Francesco is luxurious and rich as it moves along the lines of sophistication: ginger spice, crushed oyster shells, Italian buttercream and citrus fruits make up its seductive bouquet. On the palate, it conveys a sense of opulence but also harmony, combining a silky, medium-bodied texture with mineral fruits and pretty floral nuances. An interplay of sweet and sour that lasts until the final, while savoury green citrus fruits and a hint of Granny Smith apple slowly fade away. A wonderful Sicilian Chardonnay that perfectly combines the sophistication of the international grape variety with the charm of the Mediterranean climate. SUPERIORE.DE

The single vineyard Bufaleffi is considered one of the most historic cru zones around Pachino, the historic heart of Nero d'Avola. The deep red soils with a high iron and lime content, the hot climate tempered by the sea air at night and the organic cultivation form the foundation of this single vineyard wine. The ungrafted vines are over fifty years old, the yield is low and the harvest is selective and manual. After the classic mash fermentation, the wine matures for over two years in used barriques and then for a long time in the bottle – this gives it density, structure and expression.

Zottorinoto is not just any contrada – it is a legend among connoisseurs of Etna. Embedded in the historic parcel landscape around Castiglione di Sicilia, this single vineyard rests at 750 metres above sea level, characterised by ancient, barren lava flows rich in basalt, ash and volcanic sand. Wines with a crystal-clear mineral identity are produced here, in which the fire of Mount Etna meets the cool elegance of high altitudes. Only a small proportion of the vines – exclusively Nerello Mascalese – is earmarked for this exceptional Riserva. The vines are deeply rooted in the dark soils, many of them over half a century old, cultivated in the traditional Alberello way. Vinification is carried out with the utmost care: manual harvest in small crates, spontaneous fermentation on the skins for around 30 days, gentle pumping over, long maceration. The wine then matures for 24 months in French tonneaux (partly new), followed by a further 24 months in the bottle. The 2019 vintage was balanced and cool – with long vegetation cycles, ideal ripeness and striking freshness. A year for long-lasting, precisely structured wines.

Of the four Gulfi-Cru, this is the vineyard closest to the sea, less than 700 metres away and only 10-15 metres above sea level. With vines that grow on sandy soils. A beautiful, multi-layered wine that shows the elegant side of Nero d'Avola that few producers are ever able to present. Precise aromas of ripe red cherries, flint, orange peel, lavender and violets. Silky and juicy on the palate, with a refined but very concentrated extract that almost crushes the taste buds, yet remains lively and not at all heavy, giving the flavours of red cherries, raspberries, flowers and minerals beautiful definition and lift. The finish is very deep and long, with very soft tannins, a beguiling aroma and extreme finesse; very Barolo-like. SUPERIORE.DE

Zottorinoto is not just any contrada – it is a legend among connoisseurs of Etna. Embedded in the historic parcel landscape around Castiglione di Sicilia, this single vineyard rests at 750 metres above sea level, characterised by ancient, barren lava flows rich in basalt, ash and volcanic sand. Wines with a crystal-clear mineral identity are produced here, in which the fire of Mount Etna meets the cool elegance of high altitudes. Only a small proportion of the vines – exclusively Nerello Mascalese – is earmarked for this exceptional Riserva. The vines are deeply rooted in the dark soils, many of them over half a century old, cultivated in the traditional Alberello way. Vinification is carried out with the utmost care: manual harvest in small crates, spontaneous fermentation on the skins for around 30 days, gentle pumping over, long maceration. The wine then matures for 24 months in French tonneaux (partly new), followed by a further 24 months in the bottle.

Deep crimson ruby red colour. On the nose, it smells of raspberries with beautiful concentration, a peppery tingle and perfectly integrated oak. Lively, crushed red berry fruit on the palate with long, finely chiselled tannins. It closes up a little on the finish, so you can expect much more, but for now it is already irresistible. Balanced and very elegant. SUPERIORE.DE

Count Giuseppe Tasca d'Almerita created the first expression of the highest quality and longevity in Sicilian viticulture in 1970 with the Rosso del Conte – a wine that changed the oenological future of the island forever. The grapes come from the Vigna San Lucio, Regaleali's first large vineyard, born in 1959 at an altitude of 480 metres with a south-south-easterly exposure, where Nero d'Avola and Perricone have thrived in harmonious symbiosis for generations. The vines grow in the Alberello system, the oldest form of cultivation in the Mediterranean, on yellow-brown, loamy-sandy soils with calcareous inclusions. A philosophy of perfection that has developed over five decades through various ageing methods: from the original chestnut barrels to Slavonian oak and today's French barriques.

After almost twenty years of experience in the vinification of the famous Etna Rosso "Serra della Contessa", the Benanti family decided in 2015 to extend the vinification, ageing and refinement of the wine to 60 months. The result is an exclusive Riserva made from 85% Nerello Mascalese and 15% Nerello Cappuccio, sourced in very small quantities from vines over 100 years old (pre-phylloxera) from plot no. 587, which is rightly considered one of the best red wines in the region.

Maroccoli, around four hundred metres above sea level near Sambuca di Sicilia – where limestone with sandy layers forms the foundation and cool night air from the sea provides finesse, while the days are flooded with Sicilian sunshine. Diego Planeta recognised early on that Syrah on this island could be more than just an international variety: a hymn to the Mediterranean light, dry heat and barren soil that forces the vine to fight. The microfauna here is extremely active, the vines have to conquer their water – and produce grapes of exceptional ripeness and concentration.

After almost thirty years of experience in the vinification of the famous Etna Rosso "Rovittello", the Benanti family decided in 2015 to extend the vinification, ageing and refinement of the wine to 60 months. The result is an exclusive Riserva, produced in small quantities from vines over 100 years old from plot no. 341, which is rightly considered one of the best red wines in the region. The Nerello grapes (85% Mascalese/15% Cappuccio) come from a terraced vineyard (pre-phylloxera) in the Contrada Dafara Galluzzo in the upper area of Rovittello, part of the municipality of Castiglione di Sicilia.