Territories & Wineries

Etna Rosso

Etna D.O.C.

100% Nerello Mascalese

This wine is produced by our winery Feudo di Mezzo situated in the heart of Etna’s wine area. It is made from Nerello Mascalese grapes and is an expression of this noble vine cultivated in the splendid and unique terroir of Etna.

Awards

2019	James Suckling	94
2018	James Suckling	92
	Wine Enthusiast	92
	Wine & Spirits	92
	Wine Advocate Robert Parker	91
	WinesCritic.com	91
2017	Sakura	Doppia medaglia d'oro
2016	James Suckling	92
	Wine Enthusiast	91
	Wine Advocate	90+
	Wine Spectator	90
	5 Star Wines	90
	Gambero rosso	Bere bene
	Decanter World Wine Awards	Commended 85 pt
2015	James Suckling	92
	Merum	2 cuori - Vino molto buono
	Jancis Robinson	17
2014	Decanter World Wine Awards	Silver (90 pt.)
	Sommelier Wine Award	Bronze
	Vinous	88
	Jancis Robinson	16,5
	Wine & Spirits	88/BB
2013	Wine Enthusiast	90
	Wine Spectator	88
2012	Decanter World Wine Awards	Bronze

Go to Territory of Etna

Altimetry

510 metres

Above sea level

Climate

21°Average temperature

Farming system

Spurred cordon

Planting density

5.000 vines per hectare

Now

10.6°C

Cloudiness	27%
Humidity	89%
Wind	2.42mh →↗

First Vintage

2012

See vintages

2012
2013
2014
2015
2016

In general, the grapes are extraordinarily healthy thanks to the lack of rainfall near the harvest. The amount is 10% higher compared to the 2011 vintage that was particularly poor, about 5% below average. Mount Etna The harvest seems to have a tremendous potential and we will be able to know more next year. Undoubtedly, this year the usual elegance of these wines grown on the volcano will give way to the power of the alcohol and tannins. However, this vintage seems to be characterized by wines with an above-average quality. The grapes are healthy and perfectly intact. This is definitely important for a mountain harvest, which by its very nature tends towards the rainy season.
It would be hard to imagine two harvests more different than those of 2012 and 2013. After the hot wines of last year, we have perhaps returned to a vintage more in the ‘Etna style’. A long dry summer, but not too hot, just perfect. However we did need the September rains, and the rain arrived and never seemed to finish! We waited patiently, and then a miracle arrived. On 15th October a sort of Indian Summer arrived and completely turned the vintage around. On Etna it is essential to harvest late to ensure the quality of the reds. It seems early to say but it seems that the whites indicate minerals and Nerello its variety.
After a first analysis, the differences as compared with the data of the last ten years seem less evident as compared with the other zones. In general, on Etna we recorded a very substantial vintage, better for whites than for reds, with rich and complex wines. The weather data to be highlighted are above all a dry summer which kept us on tenterhooks until the arrival of the decisive rains in September. The true difference was made, in the course of the year, by the evapotranspiration that recorded the highest values for the period, surpassed only by 2012, and here too by an important period of light in September. So a very linear vintage, without any shocks from a weather standpoint, ideal for the perfect ripening of the whites and functional for the reds.
Etna demonstrated all of its wayward character and personality, with breathtaking weather; eventually the whites are very good, aromatic and intense, perhaps slightly less acid than previous years, and the reds express an averagely good quality but without peaks, perhaps because the risk of worsening weather persuaded us to bring the harvest forward.
On Etna the 2016 vintage has absolutely been our very best since we began our activities on the volcano. It has been so for the white wines and also for our conception of the reds. The reasons are easy to see given the meteorological conditions; the summer was cool and refreshed by a useful rainfall, with very pleasant temperatures. Thus we arrived at the end of September in an idyllic situation for the growth/production balance and health of the grapes. The harvest, thanks to the stress-free summer, began with spectacular grapes and commenced about eight days early, allowing us to bring forward the end of the harvest thus avoiding the rains of the second half of October. The results are a fresh and aromatic Carricante and a Nerello Mascalese of great quality, without the excessive alcohol which is a defining feature in certain vintages, but with brilliant colour and ample tannins.

Time of Harvest

october

Vinification

The grapes are picked into crates and, if necessary, are at once refrigerated at 10⁰C, then selected by hand; after destalking, they ferment at 23⁰C in wooden vats and in stainless steel vats, they remain on the skins for 14 days, with a mixing and two manual stirrings each day, decanted with the help of the vertical press and the wine obtained thus matures in wooden and stainless steel vats for 6-8 months.