Andrea Franchetti, an iconic producer better known for his Tuscan wine Tenuta di Trinoro, restored and reclaimed these ancient vineyards, restoring long- abandoned terraces of very old vines perched on the slopes of a live volcano! There is no doubt that Etna means business – a constant trickle of smoke and the odd flame destroying any illusions to the contrary.
This strangely beautiful terroir presents a unique palette of aromatics to the winemaker. Here minerality assumes a new dimension with individual lava flows imparting a distinctive personality and complexity on the finished wines – as do the different altitudes. Contrada “C” is 100% Nerello Mascalese, planted at 550m altitude. A “fuller bodied and rounder style” according to Andrea, given that this lies on the edge of Etna’s lava field.
"This is spicy and smoky on the nose, with pretty raspberry fruit and a lactic edge. The palate is rather stark and grippy from the off, with a fruit-coating to the tannins which affords it a satisfying generosity of style. Approachable relatively early
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It is hard to imagine a more exciting or varied wine-producing country than Italy. With a vibrant winemaking history spanning over 2,000 years, and vineyards stretching from the Alps through the Appenine mountains to Sicily, the Italian peninsula is home to an enormous range of climates, topographies and soil typeshosting hundreds of distinctive grapes unique to Italy.