Alberto Graci

A rosé as distinctive as its origins: Alberto Graci's Etna Rosato is more than just a summer wine – it is a bold and refreshing greeting from the volcano. Grown on mineral-rich gravelly soil near Passopisciaro, where Nerello Mascalese, at an altitude of around 600 metres, embodies the temperament of a volcano, this rosé remains consistently clear in expression – a product of tradition, terroir and respect for nature. Its vinification follows the principle of purity – gentle direct pressing, spontaneous fermentation in concrete tanks, and the wine is left on its fine lees for six months, powerful without oak, elegant without exaggeration.

Alberto Graci worked as an investment banker in Milan until the death of his grandfather – who made his own wine in central Sicily – led him back to the island in 2004. His first vineyard was on the northern slope of Mount Etna, in Passopisciaro, where he subsequently devoted himself exclusively to the volcano's indigenous grape varieties. The grapes for his Etna Bianco grow at 600 metres above sea level, on dark brown, volcanic soil that is well-drained and rich in iron. Carricante and Catarratto are gently pressed and fermented in concrete tanks without contact with the skins, then aged for eight months on the fine lees, entirely without oak. The yield is deliberately kept low at around 40 hectolitres per hectare.

Before purchasing his first plot of land on Mount Etna in 2004, Alberto Graci worked as an investment banker in Milan – a life he left behind following the death of his grandfather, who made wine in central Sicily. Since then, his work has been entirely devoted to the volcano's indigenous grape varieties, foremost among them Nerello Mascalese. The grapes come from the Contrada Feudo di Mezzo, situated at an altitude of between 600 and 700 metres on dark brown volcanic soil, rich in iron and well-drained. After ten days' maceration in vertical wooden vats, the wine matures for 18 months in large wooden barrels and concrete tanks, undergoing spontaneous malolactic fermentation.

Grenache is an unusual sight on Mount Etna. Yet on the volcano's southern slope – the hottest and driest part of the entire mountain – this Mediterranean grape variety finds conditions that it would lack on the cooler northern flank. Idda, the joint project of Gaia Gaja and Alberto Graci, makes the most of this unique feature for its Rosato: Nerello Mascalese and Grenache are fermented together, supplemented by a small proportion of Carricante, the estate's flagship white variety. This co-fermentation – red and white grapes together in the tank – is a deliberate stylistic choice. It gives the Rosato the freshness of the white variety and the structure of the reds, without either component dominating. The vines grow on dark, mineral-rich volcanic soils, in an area that Idda has described since its foundation as the "controversial side" of Mount Etna – away from the better-known vineyards.

Gaia Gaja overheard two farmers in the vineyard. "Idda's in a bad mood today," said one. "Yes, I don't like it when I don't know what Idda's up to," replied the other. When Gaia asked who this Idda was, Alberto Graci explained: "That's what we call the mountain. Mount Etna. Feminine, capricious and maternal all at once – a force you live with and rely on every day." Angelo Gaja had known Mount Etna long before it became a project. In the 1990s, his friend Giacomo Tachis tried to persuade him to buy vineyards here. The sight of the black volcano with its snow-capped peak, seen from the air, remained etched in his memory. Decades later, he founded Idda together with Alberto Graci – making a conscious decision to focus on Carricante and to rediscover the south-western slope, that side of Etna often described as a 'counter-current', away from the more famous northern flank.

Typical ruby red colour with a matt sheen. Well-defined and clean on the nose, with notes of cherry, small, mostly red fruits and a subtle, delicate spiciness. Fresh on the palate, opens wide and finishes with a spicy note and considerable length. The tannins, very well extracted, delicately caress the palate. A wine full of elegance and harmony, with pronounced terroir typicity and recognisable ageing potential. SUPERIORE.DE

Rosso Arcurìa comes from the plot directly opposite the winery where Alberto Graci began his return to Etna in 2004, after turning his back on the world of finance in Milan. Whilst the entry-level Etna Rosso blends grapes from several vineyards, this wine comes exclusively from the plots in Contrada Arcurìa, situated at an altitude of 600 to 700 metres. The yield, at around 30 hectolitres per hectare, is noticeably lower than that of the entry-level wine, with three to four bunches per vine. The grapes grow on the same brown, volcanic soil as the Carricante used for the Bianco. 100% Nerello Mascalese is fermented in the traditional manner in upright, conical wooden vats, with a long maceration period on the skins, before ageing for 24 months in large Nevers oak vats, with malolactic fermentation occurring naturally.

Contrada Arcurìa is situated directly opposite Alberto Graci's winery. It was here, on the north-eastern slope of Mount Etna in Passopisciaro, that the estate's history began in 2004, when the former Milanese investment banker acquired his first plot of land following the death of his grandfather, who had made his own wine in central Sicily. Covering 25 hectares, 18 of which are planted with vines, Arcurìa remains the heart of his estate to this day. Unlike the entry-level Bianco, this wine is made from 100% Carricante grown at an altitude of 600 metres, on brown, volcanic soil with a high proportion of mineral particles and plenty of iron. Following gentle pressing without contact with the skins, half is aged in 1,Liters and the other half in concrete tanks, followed by twelve months on the fine lees and a further twelve months of bottle ageing before the wine is released.

Feudo di Mezzo 2021 is an Etna Rosso that acts as a silent mirror of the altitude – luminous but restrained, characterised by the elegance of traditional grape varieties and a touch of irresistible beauty. The 2021 vintage did not produce extreme ripeness on the flanks of Mount Etna, but rather a multi-faceted interplay of red cherries, rose petals and delicately bitter grapefruit – a lively dance between freshness and depth. Early frosts were offset by gentle summer sunshine, allowing for perfect balance and aromatic finesse. The cuvée consists of 85% Nerello Mascalese and 15% Nerello Cappuccio, grown on mineral-rich, volcanic gravel and lava soil in the Contrada Feudo di Mezzo, around 650 to 700 metres above sea level. After selective hand-picking, the wine undergoes traditional fermentation with a long maceration period, followed by 24 months of ageing in large wooden barrels.

The 1.5-hectare Feudo di Mezzo plot is one of the oldest vineyards in Alberto Graci's portfolio: The Nerello Mascalese vines were planted around 80 years ago in the Alberello style and still stand today amidst olive and almond trees, as was customary on Mount Etna in the past, before monoculture became the norm. With around 8,000 vines per hectare, the vineyard is one of the estate's most densely planted plots. Grown at an altitude of 600 metres on sandy, iron-rich volcanic soil, the grapes are harvested by hand in mid- to late October. The must, comprising 95% Nerello Mascalese and 5% Nerello Cappuccio, ferments spontaneously and without temperature control in standing wooden vats, with a maceration period of around 30 days, before the wine is aged for 24 months in large Nevers oak casks and left to rest in the bottle for at least half a year before release.

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 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.

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.