Contrada S. Spirito

Passopisciaro, where the estate is situated, is a land of antiquity: some of Italy's oldest vineyards are found here, some over a hundred years old and still growing on their own roots. This wine comes from young vines that have yet to prove themselves: pure Nerello Mascalese grown as bush vines, organically cultivated, facing north at an altitude of 700 metres on Mount Etna, Europe's highest volcano. Animaetnea aims to convey the soul of Etna through its wines; this is the project's guiding principle. Fermentation and maceration together last 14 days at a controlled temperature, after which the wine rests for a year in a stainless-steel tank and, following bottling, for a further three months.

On the northern slope of Mount Etna, black is not a mood but the finest "building material": the terraces of the Contrada Santo Spirito near Passopisciaro are laid out in layers of lava stone, at an altitude of 700 metres. Animaetnea is the Etna project run by Antonio Moretti, who also manages the Tuscan estate Tenuta Sette Ponti, and the project's guiding principle is: a wine does not have to be perfect; it must be authentic. The lava soil, altitude and wind have largely kept phylloxera and mildew at bay here; as a result, almost all the vines are grown on their own roots, trained as bush vines. The wine's name evokes the glow of a flowing lava flow. Carricante, blended with Minnella, is fermented at a controlled temperature and aged for only a short time, followed by a few months' bottle ageing.

The estate describes it as a new "amphitheatre of wine", shaped by centuries of volcanic eruptions. At an altitude of 700 metres, facing north-east, there are bush vines of the Nerello Mascalese variety, averaging around seventy years old; many were planted before the phylloxera epidemic and remain on their own roots to this day. The soil varies between sand, ash and scree on lava flows, with extreme temperature fluctuations between day and night. The name Animardente derives from the volcano's interior, from its ceaseless activity, and from the embers and colour of the magma. Fermentation takes place in stainless steel at a controlled temperature, followed by ageing in large oak casks, and the wine is only released for sale after a long period of maturation.

Animanaturale from vines over 60 years old is the lightest and freshest wine from the new Animaetna line of the small garage winery Contrada Santa Spirito, which belongs to Feudo Maccari. Matured almost entirely in amphorae, the Nerello Mascalese grape presents itself here in all its fruitiness and freshness, completely unadulterated and pure. The grapes are foot-pressed, spontaneous fermentation is carried out using the grapes' own yeasts, racking and bottling take place according to the phases of the moon. On the palate, the flavours of red fruits and berries are tangy and vibrant with a precise and very mineral finish. SUPERIORE.DE