Questo vino
Vineyard and terroir
The grapes grow in the “Calderara” vineyard in the commune of Castiglione di Sicilia, at 580 metres above sea level on the northern slope of Mount Etna, an active volcano. The vines are more than 100 years old and rooted in stony volcanic soil. All vineyard work is performed by hand, with only copper and sulfur used when necessary.
Vinification
Harvest is carried out entirely by hand, usually during the second ten days of October. Thirty per cent of the grapes are pressed as whole bunches. Fermentation takes place with wild yeasts for 12 days, and the wine remains on the skins for at least 15 days in wooden vats. Small amounts of sulfur are added before fermentation. The wine is filtered only when bottled, with another small sulfur addition at that stage.
Ageing
The wine matures for 12–18 months in 225- and 500-litre oak barrels, followed by at least one year in bottle. Bottling takes place in May of the second year after harvest, in accordance with the lunar calendar.
Tasting profile
Powerful and deep, with an impressively long finish.
Label / history
“Vinupetra” means “wine produced in soil full of stones” in Sicilian dialect, referring to the vineyard’s stony ground. The custom-made glass bottle bears the company logo, which depicts a century-old vine. The symbol dates to 1435, when the historic Etna winegrowers’ association “Maestranza dei Vigneri” was founded in Catania. Each bottle is individually numbered, with the number printed on the main label.
