About this wine
Vineyard and terroir
The fruit comes from Sciaranuova in the municipality of Castiglione di Sicilia (CT), and the wine is made at Feudo di Mezzo. The terraced vineyards lie at 815–860 metres above sea level on black lava-sand soils. These mineral-rich soils contain abundant coarse elements and are bordered by woodland and younger lava flows. The vineyard is planted at 5,050 vines per hectare and yields 80 quintals per hectare. Espalier-trained vines are pruned using both spurred-cordon and Guyot systems.
The vineyard is farmed organically under SOStain® protocols. Spontaneous ground cover helps increase organic matter and sustain soil microfauna. Vine health is managed with small quantities of sulphur and copper, while beneficial insects, sexual confusion and natural treatments including zeolite, kaolin and plant extracts are used against pests. The wine carries Organic Wine and SOStain® certification.
Grapes
The latest published vintage, 2023, is 100% Carricante. The description that it has been pure Carricante “from this vintage” indicates that the composition changed from earlier releases, without specifying the former proportions in the current materials.
Vinification
The 2023 Carricante was harvested from 2 to 7 October. The grapes arrived in crates and were immediately chilled to 8 °C, selected by hand, lightly destemmed and gently pressed. After settling, the must was racked and fermented in stainless steel between 10 and 18 °C.
Ageing
The wine remained on its fine lees with continual stirring until August and matured in stainless steel. The 2023 technical sheet records bottling in January 2024 and a Stelvin® Deluxe closure.
Technical data
- Classification: Sicilia D.O.C.
- Alcohol: 13.5% vol.
- Total acidity: 6.85 g/L
- pH: 3.23
- Bottle: 0.75 L, weighing 460 g
- Ageing potential: 7–10 years
Tasting profile
The 2023 is a very pale golden yellow. Its aroma combines white and yellow flowers—wild pear, elderflower and borage—with honeysuckle honey, beeswax, chestnut blossom and an evocative note of wheat or a traditional grain store. The mineral character recalls the white wines of Sciaranuova. The palate is authoritative and driven by sharp, persistent acidity, with flavours of Granny Smith apple, orange wood and freshly harvested wheat.
The broader profile combines a very faint golden colour with ripe fruit and white flowers. It balances softness with assertive flavour, while lemon peel, green apple and pronounced minerality carry the finish.
Serving and pairing
Pair with fish dishes, white meat or mild cheeses.
Vintage notes
The 2023 Etna harvest was substantially below average. The crop was already small after flowering, possibly because May and June rains affected flowering and fruit set in the high-altitude vineyards. The remaining bunches were healthy. July heat did not disrupt ripening, which proceeded evenly, while a long summer and dry autumn produced concentrated, thick-skinned grapes.
Label / history
The wine is named for Etna’s eruption of 1614. Lasting ten years, it was the longest eruption in the volcano’s recorded history and stopped at the edge of Sciaranuova. The first vintage was 2009.