We have been producing wines on Etna for more than 30 years, with non-invasive tools and methods, with the utmost respect for tradition and our ancient vineyards. The basic spirit is harmony, an organic approach and without forcing nature. The production philosophy is: "Human wines produced with respect for people and the environment". Our cellar is an ancient Etna millstone in lava stone where - as always on Etna - we produce our wine. The "Human Wine" is for us the continuation of the agricultural and viticultural practices of our ancestors. We are the owners of all our vineyards. We don't buy grapes, we don't have vineyards for rent. In this way we have 100% control of our grapes. In our vineyards there are no iron or concrete poles, only and exclusively Etna chestnut poles. We do not use plastic either in the cellar or in the vineyard. To tie the vines, only organic ropes made of natural fibers. We do not use large and heavy tractors in our vineyards. The fertilizer for our vineyards is sheep manure that comes from local sheepfolds raised in a natural way. In the vineyard we prefer to do little or no treatment, only with sulfur or copper, consequently we free the bunches from the leaves to allow air recirculation and a natural defense against diseases: this is an expensive manual practice, but fantastic for the quality of the 'grape. We do not use irrigation for the vines. The health and protection of our land is an essential goal for us. All our vineyards are terraced to preserve and safeguard the territory. All our vineyards are worked within natural ecosystems, oaks, chestnuts, wild aromatic plants (oregano, thyme, helichrysum, giant valerian, etc.) in order to preserve and protect insects such as bees, butterflies, etc. Our vineyards share the land with other native plants - apples, cherries, pears, hazelnuts, plums and strawberries, in order to reduce the impact of monoculture and increase biodiversity. The total area under vines is 7 hectares, of which 5 are planted with vineyards:
-CONTRADA CASELLE- MILO, Etna Est, 750 s.l.m., white grape Carricante and Minnella, 10 km from the crater and 8 km from the Ionian Sea.
-CONTRADA PORCARÌA, Etna Nord, 550 a.s.l., red grapes Nerello Mascalese, Nerello Cappuccio and Granache. 15 km from the crater and 20 km from the sea.
-CONTRADA NAVE, NORTH-WEST Etna, 1300 m a.s.l., we grow Granache, Minella nera, Greganico, Minella Bianca and other unknown varieties. 10 km from the crater and 26 km from the sea.
We cultivate the vines, we produce our wine, with ancient systems (about 2000 years on Etna), without modern chemicals, respecting all the phases of the moon, with a smile and with the hope of a good harvest. With passion, with humility: we are part of nature and the miracle of life. Every day of our harvests opens to the sun that kisses the grapes, coloring them with an intense red, ready to be collected in a riot of words, of emotion, by joyful and happy men, women and children, and not by inhuman and immoral machines, who will never be able to appreciate the touch, shape, consistency of healthy and juicy bunches of Nerello Mascalese, Nerello Cappuccio and Carricante. We have made an ancient choice of modern men: to put our hands in everything we do, so that our humanity can be transferred to our products, our wines. The bunches arrive in the cellar, in the ancient Palmento, built with sacrifice, strength, knowledge and attention by men of the past, for generations of people no longer among us, but present with their soul in those black stones wisely carved to become the crucible in which the mystery of wine is perpetuated at each harvest: life explodes in a primordial chaos of strength and vitality! By disobeying meaningless laws, no longer at the service of Man and Nature, we give continuity to our ancient and unchanged work as winegrowers, in effort and happiness, which makes us the protagonists of our life choices. Opposing the obtuse and obscure logic of "progress-regression", we are still here in our Palmento Etneo to share our work together and continue lovingly the gestures of our ancestors in producing our true and indigenous Etna wine. The dense and sweet juice of our grapes, generated from ancient vines, from our Muntagna (Etna) and our winemaking civilization, slowly becomes wine, life, work and wealth for all of us.
Natural winemakers, here's the information we need to register you on Raisin.
DESCRIPTION OF YOUR DOMAINE
Please provide the information about your estate including location, size, treatments used,
horses, tractors, harvests, etc. within 300-500 characters. This description will be added to your profile.
CERTIFICATIONS (ORGANIC, BIODYNAMIC) :
Please send us all certifications (organic, biodynamic, etc.). If your estate is not certified,
please explain why and describe your farming practices.
INFORMATION ON EACH OF THE WINES YOU PRODUCE:
wine name
color
grape variety(ies) by year(s)
appellation
sparkling
label photo (.pdf format - printer's proof)
volume of free and total sulfur
analysis of each vintage
Is your wine from Négociant activities?
PHOTOS :
a photo of you (the winemaker)
photos of the winery and cellar (between 6 and 12)