Pietradolce

The Nerello Mascalese vines for this exceptional rosato grow on the northern slopes of Mount Etna at an altitude of over 600 metres – barren, stony soils of pure lava rock characterise the microclimate and give the wine its clear contours. The wine is matured purely in stainless steel to emphasise freshness, purity and terroir expression. Delicate pink in the glass with a copper-coloured shimmer. The bouquet is elegant and restrained: wild strawberry, pink grapefruit, a hint of blood orange and some fennel green. Lively on the palate, with juicy fruit, animating acidity and mineral tension. The cool finish is dry, precise and surprisingly long. An Etna Rosato with Alpine freshness and Mediterranean soul – ideal for warm evenings, grilled fish or a classic insalata di mare. SUPERIORE.DE

Beautiful white from Carricante that captures the energy of Etna and reflects its essence. Sparkling lemon yellow with a drop of gold. Yellow stone fruit, mint, flowers and spice aromas on the nose. Complex flavour, full fruit and subtle minerality on the palate. Racy, delicately flavoured and sophisticated. 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 Rampante is one of the highest and most renowned vineyards on the north-east slope of Mount Etna. At around 1,000 metres above sea level, Nerello Mascalese thrives here on volcanic sandy soils with a high lava content – a terroir of rare expressiveness that combines cool nights, long vegetation cycles and extreme slopes. The vines are over 100 years old – partly ungrafted – produce small-berried, concentrated grapes. After fermentation in cement, the wine matures for around 12 months in large wooden barrels and then for several months in the bottle.

Santo Spirito is one of the most striking contrade on the eastern slopes of Mount Etna – less stony than Rampante, but no less impressive. Here, at an altitude of around 700 metres, the old Nerello Mascalese vines are deeply rooted in ashy volcanic soil with a high sand content. The microclimate is cooler, the humidity higher and the east-facing exposure gives the grapes gentle morning warmth. Pietradolce vinifies the single-vineyard wine traditionally with spontaneous fermentation in wooden vats, followed by approx. 12 months of ageing in large French tonneaux.

Feudo di Mezzo is more than just a vineyard – it is the historic centrepiece of viticulture on Etna. One of Pietradolce's oldest and most fascinating plots is located in the contrada of the same name, around 600 metres above sea level between the lava flows of past eruptions. The Nerello Mascalese vines are rooted here in deep black, mineral-rich lava soil with excellent drainage. The microclimate is characterised by wide temperature fluctuations, which give the wine a special depth and tension. Vinification is carried out with great sensitivity: spontaneous fermentation in traditional wooden vats, maturing for around 12 months in large tonneaux.

Archineri Bianco comes from a small, high-altitude single vineyard in the Contrada Rampante – one of the most renowned cru sites on Etna. The ungrafted vines, some of which are over 100 years old, are rooted at an altitude of 850 metres in barren, stony lava soil with north-eastern exposure. This extreme location ensures an extended growing season, pronounced day-night fluctuations and a precise, almost razor-sharp aroma spectrum. The single-varietal Carricante is selectively harvested by hand, fermented spontaneously in stainless steel and then matured on the fine lees for several months.

The Nerello Mascalese vines for the Archineri Rosso are rooted deep in the terraced vineyards of Contrada Rampante – at an altitude of around 850 metres on pure volcanic rock. It is a barren, yet vital terroir that, in combination with old, ungrafted vines and strict selection, produces wines of almost ascetic precision. The 2020 vintage was characterised by a long, cool vegetation period with a good water supply and ideal harvest. The grapes were fermented spontaneously, then matured for around 12 months in large, used oak barrels and then bottled without filtration.

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

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 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.