Il lavoro in un antico palmento dell’Etna

Contrada Blandano contains 10 ha of vineyards at 450–550 m and marks the beginning of the Costantino family’s story in 1970. At its centre stands a palmento dated 1699, treated as evidence of the long evolution of Etna’s wine culture and as a descendant of the Roman torcularium. Another old palmento was found at Contrada Praino.

Historically, harvested grapes arrived in coffe baskets and were emptied into the masonry pistu or ricivituri. The pistaturi crushed them, and the must remained with the skins for alcoholic fermentation. Must then flowed downward, while pomace was wrapped in zammara agave strips fixed with wooden nails. This cake was pressed with the conzu, a large beam, wooden disc and counterweight. The finished must was drawn from the tina with iron amphora-shaped quattare, which also served for measurement.

The preserved building now forms part of an educational route through the vineyards and winery, with illustrations explaining the traditional process.