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 […]
Etna's Chestnut Past Read More »
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
Ætna: Before The Beginning Read More »
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
The Earthquakes and Eruptions of 1669 Read More »
For the best experience, watch the video above in HD (high definition). [Select “settings” in the lower right of the screen and choose your preferred resolution.] I do a lot of grass roots wine education—for individuals, small groups, sommeliers, importers, wine schools, and journalists—using Etna as a lens to have an engaged conversation about the
"Etna is …" #Winelovers Speak Read More »
I found the following note in a memoir I stumbled upon while doing research for my book about the wines and wineries of Mount Etna. The memoir, “Unprotected Females In Sicily, Calabria, And On The Top Of Mount Etna” was written by Helen Lowe and published by Routledge, in London, in 1859. The memoir is
Your Own Pet Crater Read More »
It’s inevitable. At least one time during every class, or tour, or lecture I get asked: Are you scared to live on a volcano? or Is there any kind of alert system in place? Surely, when I moved to the volcano, I was a bit nervous. I watched eruptions and fingers of lava light up
Safety Through Science Read More »
During a ten-year study of Mount Etna, NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory filmed the expansion and contraction of the mountain surrounding the vertical and lateral lava chambers that constructed and reconstructed the volcano over the recent 220,000 years. Between 1992 and 2001, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the European Space Agency (ESA) used
Featured Experience: Culinary tour of Sicily with Chef Melissa Muller
Experience Sicily with Chef Melissa Muller Read More »
… Let your #Etna #wine experience be a celebration — Happy Holidays everyone! — pic.twitter.com/9funtaaeGi — Etna Wine School (@etnaWineSCHOOL) November 18, 2015
Happy Holidays from Mt Etna Read More »
During the holidays we come together to show gratitude for the things that matter most in Life. It isn’t always possible to be together with so many of us spread out around the globe but I find solace that we have discovered ways to share the special times in our lives through our common appreciation
An International Wine Salute Read More »
