Mount Etna, located on the east coast of Sicily in southern Italy, is the highest active volcano in Europe and one of the most active volcanoes in the world, and has been inscribed on the Unesco World Heritage List. On the slopes of this volcano lies a very unique wine region in Italy, the Etna region.
Image source: www.consorzioetnadoc.com
The Etna appellation was established as a denominazione di Origine Controllata (DOC) in 1968, the first DOC-grade appellation in Sicily and one of the earliest DOC appellations in All of Italy. It has a long history of winemaking, as early as 1596, the Storia dei vini d'Italia (History of Italian Wines) documented the production of wine on the slopes around Catania (the city at the foot of Mount Etna) and mentioned that the unique volcanic ash soil brought excellent quality to these wines. Today, the unique soils of the appellation, which originate from volcanoes, the local temperature difference of up to 25-30 °C, and the old vine vines (some of which are as old as 100 years old in the appellation) are important factors in the production of excellent wines.
Image source: www.consorzioetnadoc.com
In the Etna region, some of Sicily's ancient native varieties play an important role here, with red grape varieties such as Nerello Mascalese and Nerello Cappuccio, and white grape varieties including Carricante and Catarratto, which has smaller fruit grains.
Mascas Nelelo
Mascas Nelelo is widely cultivated in the Etna appellation and is one of the local iconic varieties. Although the historical origins of the variety cannot be traced, it has been used as early as the Roman period to produce excellent quality wines. Today, this variety is planted on the steep slopes of Mount Etna, where the vineyards have a large temperature difference between day and night, and all the labor must be carried out manually.
Image source: www.tenutaterrenere.com
It is also a more delicate variety, and its sensitivity to vintage and terroir often makes it comparable to the Pinot Noir, and its late-ripening characteristics are reminiscent of Nebbiolo. The bunches of grapes in Mascas Nellero are usually longer, with medium compactness and thick skins, a dark purple-red color. It is commonly used to make Etna Rosso, Etna Rosato and Etna Spumante, with high alcohol, acidity and fruity aromas.
Friar Nelelo
The grape variety is named for its large cap-shaped (Cappuccio) tufts of leaves, which are medium in length, have compact fruit grains, are flat spheroids in shape, and have a bluish-black rind with a long growth cycle and a late harvest period. Red wines made with Friar Nailello are intense in color, low in alcohol, have good acidity, and emit rich cherry fruit and floral aromas, and are compact in taste. This variety is often blended with Etna red, Etna rosé and Etna sparkling wines.
Image source: www.santamarialanave.com
Calikante
The name Calicante comes from the Sicilian dialect "U Carricanti", referring to its abundant production. Traditionally, the variety has been planted on mineral-rich volcanic sandy soils using the dwarf bush ad alberello, and the eastern part of etna Fire Mountain is its ideal terroir. The vineyards here stretch from the top of the volcano to the coast, and the cool climate and large temperature difference between day and night give the Calicante grapes a rich aroma.
Image credit: www.siciliadoc.wine
Wines made from Calicante are usually rice-yellow in color and have complex and intense aromas, with wonderful citrus floral notes and sometimes slightly salty notes. In the past, Calicante was often brewed in blends with other Etna varieties such as Catarato, Minnella and Inzolia. Today, this variety is also increasingly used to make single-variety wines, and it is also the main variety in Etna Bianco, with a minimum ratio of 60%, and in Etna Bianco Superiore, its minimum proportion is as high as 80%.
Catarato
Image credit: www.siciliadoc.wine
This is also an ancient native variety in the Etna region, and its vines are vigorous and productive, so this variety is mostly cultivated in the form of dwarf bushes, with short pruning branches and only a small number of fruit bunches per vine to obtain more fragrant grapes. The wines produced by it are unique in style and are often used in blends of Etna white wines, generally accounting for no more than 40%.
In general, the main types of wines allowed to be made in the Etna appellation are: Etna White, Etna Super White, Etna Red, Etna Rosso Riserva, Etna Rosso Roserva, Etna Rosso and Etna Sparkling Wine. Among them, Etna's rare red wines need to be aged for at least 4 years, including 12 months of oak barrel aging.