Questo vino
Vineyard and terroir
Contrada Porcaria is a small parcel within the extensive Feudo di Mezzo district. The estate works 1.5 hectares at 650 m a.s.l. The 90-year-old vines stand on a thin, loamy sheet of lava that breaks apart underfoot, with an exposure described as ideal for sunlight. Porcaria is generally the first of the contrade to ripen and be harvested. The site is associated with rich, full-bodied wines whose aromas evolve continually, with an exotic dimension and an echo of burnt sugar.
Vineyard treatments comprise clay, propolis, grapefruit-seed extracts, copper and sulphur within an organic-viticulture regime. Planting density is 8,000 vines/ha, and the 2024 yield was 45 q/ha.
Grapes
100% Nerello Mascalese.
Vinification
The 2024 grapes were harvested by hand on 5 October. Fermentation took place in stainless-steel tanks and was followed by malolactic fermentation.
Ageing
Aged for 18 months in large Slavonian oak barrels. The broader Contrada range description identifies the large oak vessels as neutral.
Technical data
The 2024 wine is DOC Etna Rosso and has 14.5% alcohol. It was bottled on 16 February 2026, with total production of 2,733 bottles.
Tasting profile
Ripe cherry and sour cherry meet refined spicy nuances. The palate is broad and firmly structured, with velvety, integrated tannins balanced by vivid acidity, giving the wine harmony and depth.
Vintage notes
The winter preceding the 2024 growing season remained clear, bright and cold through late February, allowing uninterrupted vineyard work. Warm spring days and cool nights reduced the risk of late frost; abundant, well-formed clusters flowered from late May into early June. Intense heat followed, including hot nights, and irrigation was used where possible. Early-August rain brought some hail, damaging bunches in lower vineyards, while prolonged drought caused losses among some plants. Harvesting of the red grapes began on 3 October, with the higher vineyards delivering particularly rich, generous clusters.
Label / history
From the 2024 vintage, the wine moved to DOC status and its label changed from Contrada P to Feudo di Mezzo, Porcaria, allowing the specific place names to appear in full. Separate Contrada bottlings began in 2008, followed by a label change in 2009.
