THE NEW WINES OF MT ETNA
Today, we publish The New Wines of Mount Etna, the first book about the people who live and make wine on Mount Etna, Europe’s largest active volcano.
Today, we publish The New Wines of Mount Etna, the first book about the people who live and make wine on Mount Etna, Europe’s largest active volcano.
Making wine on Europe’s largest active volcano isn’t easy. Triumph and sacrifice are in perpetual rhythm. Yet, throughout history, the unique flavors of the food and wine arriving from the volcano Etna far outweighed the dangers of living and working there.
•
After centuries of successful international trade, Mount Etna’s vineyards were abandoned in the twentieth century. Today, an attentive generation of winemakers are is refocusing the spotlight on these inimitable volcanic wines
•
In The New Wines of Mount Etna, American wine expert Benjamin Spencer goes beyond the vines to explore the history and rebirth of the UNESCO World Heritage Site that has everyone talking about Sicily.
There are a lot of wines that play well with food. It just so happens that there are far more exciting wines from the volcano Etna that share the classic profiles of many popular favorites.
A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE ‘Fico d’India’ ON MOUNT ETNA
Since 2008, producers on Mount Etna have been coming together to share their en primeur wines with the public, the press, and one another. The one-day tasting event, called the Contrade dell’Etna (CdE), was founded by Andrea Franchetti, owner and winemaker at Passopisciaro to promote the uniqueness of Etna wines. This year the CdE will …
Wines & Wineries to Try at the Contrade dell'Etna Tasting Read More »
In 1965, three men began hiking the slopes and valleys and plains on Mount Etna. They were looking for consistencies in the environment, in the grape vines that were growing there and the flavors of the local wines.
We are honored to be working with Santa Maria La Nave this year at VinItaly. We invite you to stop by — Pav 2, Stand 10A — to try some of the most inimitable wines from Mount Etna, Sicily … If you would like to set an appointment, send us an email to arrange a …
The forests on the volcano Etna contain hundreds of thousands of chestnut trees. Over the last millennia the forests have served as a resource for wood barrels and tanks. When compared to other wood containers, research has proven that the chestnut wood helps the red wines (Etna Rosso) retain deeper color for a longer period …
Note: Locations referenced in the following text can be found in the map above The Phoenicians may have been fine merchants and salesmen, but it took the arrival of the Greeks to imprint the concept of true viticulture in Sicily. In 734 BCE, a small fertile valley was settled at the northeast opening of the …
The 16th and 17th centuries were hard on Etna inhabitants. Multiple, very damaging, prolonged eruptions resculpted the territory, devastated the landscape, displaced residents, wiped out villages, and buried valuable agricultural space. One eruption was particularly destructive. Following several days of strong earthquakes, a collapse in Mount Etna’s central crater on March 11, 1669 forced open …