Azienda di Rachele (Contrada Salice, Milo, Catania, Sicily) Etna Bianco Superiores 2023 and 2021: ViniMilo 2025 white-grape-identity Masterclass

The L’identità bianchista dell’Etna (The identity of the whites of Etna) ViniMilo 2025 Masterclass explored non-sequential vintages of Etna Bianco Superiores from leading producers such as Barone di Villagrande, Maugeri, Benanti, Iuppa, Rachele, and Terre di Nuna. I have previously reported on a number of these tastings and continue herein with Azienda di Rachele.

Azienda di Rachele is, like Azienda Agricola Iuppa, located within Milo's Contrada Salice but its vineyards do not span as wide an elevation range. Rachele's vineyard ranges between 550 and 700 m. 

Grapes have been grown on a core property for many generations  but it was only with the 2021 vintage that the decision was made to vinify some of the product for their own wine. I first tasted a Rachele wine at ViniMilo 2024 and was impressed by the humility of Rosario Raciti (the proprietor) and the quality of the wine.

As Rosario tells it, the core of the Rachele vineyard is "a small plot of land passed down through generations." He expanded on that small plot and, in 2013, decided to host a Carricante-only vineyard.  Once that vineyard was fully implemented he needed new challenges and began, in 2021, to vinify a part of the harvest. The first wine was released on to the market in 2023.

The soil on the property is sandy volcanic and the Carricante grapes are trained in the traditional Etna manner. Only top quality grapes are selected for the wine and these are hand-harvested into 20-kg crates. The grapes are destemmed and pressed and then fermented in neutral containers. The wine is matured in stainless steel tanks and further aged in bottle.

Tasting the Wines

The wines offered up for this tasting were drawn from the 2023 and 2021 vintages. A bottle shot and Brandon's vintage notes follow.

Brandon Tokash's vintage notes are as follows:

2023 -- The year of the mold; especially for the north slope. Milo was burning, hot, and dry. There was one day where there were major fires all around Milo with some of Iuppa's vineyard burnt. There was concern for smoke taint but we didn't taste any. A better vintage for Nerello than Carricante. I think that some of the freshness and acid was lost, especially at lower Milo altitudes. Stay with the high-elevation Carricante (above 800 m).

2021 — Another dry spring and summer with typical Milo rains a few weeks before and during harvest. If I remember, the 2021’s that we tasted was the vintage that we thought was better than the others. If that’s the case, the vintage was excellent.

As has been the practice in this series of tastings, the youngest vintage was tasted first. The 2023 Rachele EBS showed sweet white fruit, sage, minerality, spice, mint, and a savoriness on the nose. Lime on the palate along with a restrained salinity and minerality. Textured. Long, limey finish. Some black pepper on the finish.

The 2021 Rachele EBS showed herbs, a hint of sweet fruit, salinity, and minerality on the nose. Less intense on the nose than was the 2023. Green orange on the attack giving way to a savoriness. Mineral. Sapid. Dried herbs and faded lime.

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Both wines exhibited good quality. The 2021 was the first vintage for this estate and it has retained its integrity. The lowered intensity on the nose eon the '21 is probably related to age-related development and softening. I enjoyed both of these wines.

©Wine -- Mise en abyme

Azienda Agricola Iuppa (Contrada Salice, Milo, Catania, Sicily) and its contributions to the ViniMilo 2025 white-grape-identity-of-Etna Masterclass

Azienda Agricola Iuppa's Lindo Etna Bianco Superiore Contrada Salice was the third offering in the lineup of wines tasted in the ViniMilo 2025 White-Grape-Identity-of-Etna Masterclass. The wines on offer were from the 2023 and 2020 vintages. It should be noted that the former is designated Contrada Salice on the label while the latter is not.

I have not previously written about this estate so some background is necessary prior to launching into the comparative tasting.

I couldn't help but smile this morning as I listened to a podcast wherein Marco, the eldest son of Angelo, the estate's owner, was being interviewed by Marc Millon of Wine Food and Travel and told the story of how he found out that they owned a vineyard. 

Marco Iuppa at the right

Angelo, according to Marco, was in the construction business but sometime in the early 2000s he came to the family and told them that they now owned a vineyard. Marco did not know whether to laugh or cry. The next day he went with his father to examine their vineyard and they could hardly open the gate. It was a forest, he said. One piece of land had visible vines but the remainder was comprised of broken down terraces and vines overrun by large trees. 

That was then. This is now.

The obscured vineyards that Marco saw on his first visit to the property have been transformed into terraced vineyards with traditional dry lava stone walls. The Iuppa team has built one of the most esthetically pleasing vineyards on the mountain while retaining that original, visible old-vine plot.

The Iuppa property extends over 9 ha in Milo's Contrada Salice at elevations ranging between 530 and 700 m. The soil in this Contrada is sandy volcanic at 700 m and above and medium textured at elevations below that point. Of the 9 ha, 7 ha have been planted to Carricante, Catarratto, Nerello Mascalese, and Nerello Cappucchio, with a portion hosting a "centuries-old, free-range vineyard" populated with various obscure grape varieties. Ugo Nicosia, the estate’s Marketing Manager (one of the most gifted wine communicators on the mountain and a fierce advocate for Milo wines and the role that the volcanic soils play in the formulation of same), explains the vineyard layout (here) and the old-vine vineyard (here) during a walk-through with the author and Brandon Tokash.

Left to right, Brandon Tokash,
 Ugo Nicosia (Iuppa Marketing Manager),
and Angelo Iuppa (Proprietor)

The estate's stated philosophy is to "diligently work every day to produce authentic, territorial, high-quality wines" that take account of both "Etna's winemaking traditions" and "the most modern oenological techniques."

The vineyard is farmed organically and soil health maintenance and improvement are at the core of vineyard practices. For example, the vineyard is hand-tilled, thus eliminating the risk of machinery-driven soil compaction. Green material is harvested from the plants and integrated into the soil to enrich it with nitrogen. And, of course, chemical use in the vineyard is avoided.

The range of Iuppa wines is pictured below along with characteristics of the growing areas and fermentation and aging regimes. All grapes destined for these wines are subjected to selection both in the field and in the cellar.

During our September (2025) visit to the estate, Ugo led us on a tasting of the estate's 2024 wines. The tasting covered the whites, reds, and old vines wines.

Tasting the Lindo wines at the VinoMilo2025 White Wine Identity of Etna Masterclass

As mentioned previously, the Lindo offerings for the Masterclass were the 2023 and 2020 vintages, in that order.

Brandon Tokash's vintage notes are as follows:

2023 -- The year of the mold; especially for the north slope. Milo was burning, hot, and dry. There was one day where there were major fires all around Milo with some of Iuppa's vineyard burnt. There was concern for smoke taint but we didn't taste any. A better vintage for Nerello than Carricante. I think that some of the freshness and acid was lost, especially at lower Milo altitudes. Stay with the high-elevation Carricante (above 800 m).

2020 -- Warmer than normal spring followed by a hot, dry summer. Overall, the vintage was a good quality one; perhaps better than average.

The 2023 Lindo Contrada Salice exhibited a classic Etna Bianco Superiore nose: sage, minerality, mint, herbs, and citrus. A lean entry on the palate with lime, lime skin, and a metallic mineralogy giving texture to the wine. Alive on the palate. Persistent, with hints of bitterness and herbs. Mineral finish.

The Lindo 2020 had an initial whiff of sulfur and burnt rubber which persisted on the nose. Lime skin and white fruit on the palate. Slate-like minerality. Bianco Superiore characteristics somewhat suppressed.

There were major differences between the two wines which had, in my opinion, nothing to do with age or vintage characteristics. The 2020 appeared to have either winemaking issues or issues with the specific bottle that was poured into my glass. The 2020 was disappointing, especially after the high tone set by the 2023. I expected to derive even more pleasure from the older vintage. I did not.

©Wine -- Mise en abyme

Benanti Contrada Rinazzo Etna Bianco Superiores 2022 and 2020: ViniMilo 2025 white-grape-identity Masterclass

A couple of Benanti wines (Contrada Rinazzo Etna Bianco Superiores 2022 and 2020) were tasted at the ViniMilo 2025 White Grape Identity of Etna Masterclass.

Benanti was the pioneer of quality winemaking on Mt. Etna and its Pietra Marina, made initially by Salvo Foti, was long one of the finest wines made from the Carricante grape. After taking over management of the estate from their father, Antonio and Salvino have changed the style of their Etna Bianco Superiore as well as reconfigured the lineup. Pietra Marina is still the flagship white but its aging regime has been extended (on lees in stainless steel vats or 30 months plus 1 year in bottle). Two Contrada Biancos have been added to the lineup (Contrada Rinazzo Etna Bianco Superiore and Contrada Cavalieri Etna Bianco) with the Bianco Superiore fermented and aged in stainless steel vats on lees for 12 months and in bottle for an additional 6 months.

Grapes for the Bianco Superiores are sourced from the same Milo vineyard, with the Pietra Marina wine being made from the highest-elevation vines. The physical environment of the Contrada Rinazzo vineyard is as follows:

The Milo growing season notes from Brandon Tokash are as follows:

2022 — This was a hot, dry summer, hotter than normal especially at night. I thought that the Carricante was bigger, perhaps rounder with less tension and acid. Not my favorite year.

2020 -- Warner than normal spring followed by a hot, dry summer. Overall, the vintage was a good quality one; perhaps better than average.

The 2022 Contrada Rinazzo EBS showed sage, salinity, mint and spice on the nose. Soft on the palate with lime sapidity and a metallic minerality. The 2020 showed an herbiness and sweet fruit on the nose. Lime and salinity on the palate. Character-free.

Based on Brandon's notes, these two vintages were  sub-optimal for Milo Carricante.

©Wine -- Mise en abyme

Maugeri Contrada Volpare Etna Bianco Superiore 2024 and 2022: ViniMilo 2025 MasterClass on Etna white wine identity

The second set of wines tasted at the ViniMilo 2025 White Grape Identity of Etna Masterclass was from the Maugeri estate. Brandon and I visited this producer during ViniMilo 2024 and I reported on that here. In that post I pointed out that Robert Camuto (writing in Wine Spectator) had identified Maugeri as one of the wineries to watch. Since then, the accolades have continued to pour in:

• Gambero Rosso awarded Maugeri the Emerging Wines of 2025 title in its wine guide of the same year based on the winery’s “determination, vision, and commitment.”
• Gambero Rosso also awarded Tre Bichieri to the estate’s Etna Bianco Superiore Contrada Volpare 2023 “which captures the sophisticated complexity of Milo’s Carricante.”

The Maugeri wines tasted at the Masterclass were the 2024 and 2022 Contrada Volpares in that order.

The growing season notes from Brandon Tokash are as follows:

2024 — Spring and summer were dry and townsfolk were wondering what was going on. A very hot, dry summer led to some concern for the grapes. A late July 3 weekend rain saved it all, providing enough moisture for the plants to get through until late August and September when they received additional water. In the end it turned out to be a very good vintage for Etna Bianco Superiore. 

2022 — This was a hot, dry summer, hotter than normal especially at night. I thought that the Carricante was bigger, perhaps rounder with less tension and acid. Not my favorite year.

The grapes for the 2022 vintage were cryomacerated for 3 hours after which they were vinified in stainless steel tanks using selected yeasts. The wine was aged on the lees for 8 months in 60% French oak barrels and 40% stainless steel tanks. No malolactic fermentation or batonnage. The wine was fined and filtered prior to bottling. The 2024 was similarly vinified but was aged for a full year, 90% in steel tanks and 10% in oak barrel.

The 2024 Contrada Volpare was elegant. Sage, mint, citrus, and sweet white fruit on the nose. Rounded attack on the palate. Sage, minerality, and restrained sapidity. Smooth. A beautiful wine.

The 2022 showed herbs, minerality, and salinity on the nose. Brighter than the 2024. Unfocused initially. Sapidity, citrus, almond pit, and persistent minerality.

The two wines differed both in terms of vintage conditions and aging regime. Brandon didn’t too much care for the 2022 vintage and much less wood was used in the 2024. Purity of high quality fruit shone through in the 2024.

©Wine -- Mise en abyme

Barone di Villagrande Etna Bianco Superiore 2024 and 2021: ViniMilo 2025 MasterClass on White Wine Identity

Evening Masterclasses are a staple of the ViniMilo experience; and the 2025 edition was no exception. One such Masterclass, held on September 10th at the Iuppa Resort and titled L’identità bianchista dell’Etna (The identity of the whites of Etna), explored non-sequential vintages of Etna Bianco Superiores from leading producers Barone di Villagrande, Maugeri, Benanti, Iuppa, Rachele, and Terre di Nuna. I report on this tasting in a series of posts beginning with this one.

I have written about a number of these producers in the past. In those cases I will simply compare and contrast the two vintages using growing season notes provided by Brandon Tokash and tasting notes that I captured on the night of the event. In the cases where I have not previously reported on the producer, I will rectify that shortcoming before delving into the comparison. 

The first wines tasted were the 2024 and 2021 (in that order) Etna Bianco Superiores from Barone di Villagrande. 

The 2024 was labeled Etna Bianco Superiore while the 2021 was labeled Etna Bianco Superiore Contrada Villagrande. The Etna Bianco Superiore was fermented in steel and bottled 12 months after harvest (Brandon alerted me to the fact that this wine was recently awarded 3 Bicchieri by Gambero Rosso.). The Contrada Villagrande was fermented and aged in 500 L oak barrels for one year and then spent another year in bottle before release on the market. I have previously written about the producer and that reportage can be found here.

The growing season notes from Brandon are as follows:

2024 — Spring and summer were dry and townsfolk were wondering what was going on. A very hot, dry summer led to some concern for the grapes. A late July 3 weekend rain saved it all, providing enough moisture for the plants to get through until late August and September when they received additional water. In the end it turned out to be a very good vintage for Etna Bianco Superiore. 

2021 — Another dry spring and summer with typical Milo rains a few weeks before and during harvest. If I remember, the 2021’s that we tasted was the vintage that we thought was better than the others. If that’s the case, the vintage was excellent.

The 2024 Barone di Villagrande Etna Bianco Superiore showed sweet white fruit, sage, thyme, minerality, and salinity on the nose. An explosion of acidity on the palate, along with dried limeskin and spice. Overall, the flavors on the palate are consistent with the aromas of the nose. A hint of spice on the finish and some heat on the chest. A quality wine.

The nose on the 2021 showed more maturity and development as compared to the 2024; unsurprisingly. Minerality and dried and green herbs. Softer, more muted notes on the palate vis a vis the 2024. Elegant and smooth. Bitter sapidity. Mineral persistence. Excites the salivary glands. 

Both wines were sourced from good growing seasons and both exhibited excellent quality. Fermentation and aging regimes differed between the two wines and this, plus the age, is reflected in the differential characteristics.

©Wine -- Mise en abyme

A tasting of selected vintages (2009 - 1978) of St. Julien's Chateau Léoville Poyferré

"I liked all of the Leoville wines. The Las Cases was big and bold; the Barton, earthy; and the Poyferré elegant and poised." So said Richard Cohen, a member of the Orlando Tasting Group after our triad-concluding vertical tasting of the Poyferré Grand Vin. 

Before describing this most recent tasting, let me provide some background information on the estate.

History

As described previously, the Leoville estates came about as a result of the dismemberment of Domaine Leoville beginning with the sale of selected vineyard plots to Hugh Barton in 1826. Léovile Poyferré surfaced when Jean de Las Cases passed her portion of the remaining estate on to her daughter who, at the time, was married to Baron Jean-Marie de Poyferré. Hence the estate name.

As shown in the timeline below, the estate changed hands twice between 1865 and 1920 but has since remained in the hands of the Cuvelier family. Didier Cuvelier took control in 1979 and his stewardship was instrumental in moving the estate into the top ranks of Bordeaux producers. Didier resigned in 2017 and was replaced by his cousin Sara Lecompte Cuvelier.

Grape-Growing Environment

I have covered the St. Julien grape-growing environment previously. As regards the Chateau Léoville Poyferré environment, the chart below shows the estate's major vineyard blocks (except for one that is dedicated solely to Chateau Moulin Riche), the soil characterizations of those blocks, and general information on the built environment.

The Poyferré vineyards are managed by Alix Combes with David Aguirre as his assistant. The estate's manta is "vigilance, reactivity, adaptation" with human intervention only when necessary. Each vineyard worker is assigned a specific plot and is responsible for meticulous, nature-observant tending of same. The vineyard is ploughed for aeration as well as weed control, a part of the estate's commitment to eco-friendly practices.

Wines and Winemaking

The estate produces two wines: Léoville Poyferré and Pavillion de Poyferré, The Grand Vin is known for opulence, richness and aging potential while the Pavillion is more accessible. The Grand Vin has seen a rapid jump in quality beginning with the 1982 vintage.

Harvest

Three weeks before harvest the winemaking team gets together with consulting enologist Julien Viaud and they go through the vineyard tasting the grape berries to evaluate their ripeness. Analysis of phenolic and technical maturity complement and confirm impressions during daily tastings.

• Grapes are hand-picked and the clusters transported to the vat house in crates
• Sorted by hand before destemming and optically before crushing, the latter to remove any vegetal material. 

Vinification

The grapes are vinified plot-by-plot by variety in 57 heat-regulated, stainless-steel tanks, 27 of which are double-walled. Young vines ripen earlier so they are picked and vinified separately. Row-ends are also vinified separately because they ripen later; they are picked later and used for kosher wine.

One-week pre-fermentation cold maceration enhances purity of fruit aromas and color intensity. Non-Saccharomyces yeast is added to the must at this time rather than the traditional Sulfur dioxide.

The must is pumped over daily until the end of alcoholic fermentation. The fermented wine is racked off the skins which are pressed for press wine. 

Some small batches of kosher wine are made from grapes set aside specially for this purpose. Special teams are brought in for this purpose.

Malolactic Fermentation 
In barrels. Because the barrel room is across the street from the vat room, the wine has to be transported over. This was, for a while, done by hand in steel tanks using tractors. More recently underground pipes have been laid to allow transfer of the wine from vats to barrel.

Aging
By variety and plot. Aged in French oak barrels for 18 months.

Tasting the Wines

The wines included in the tasting are shown below. They are arranged in flights by decade.

Year	Cabernet Sauvignon (%)	Merlot (%)	Cabernet Franc (%)	Petit Verdot (%)
2009	60	29	6	5
2003	70	25		5
2000	60	40
1996	50	35	4	11
1995	67	26	7	3
1990	63	25	5	7
1978

The tasting team is shown below. This is the smallest group to date (and, as a result, the fewest number of wines) due to scheduling changes disrupting the original order (Al was a part of the group but the picture was taken prior to his arrival.).

Flight 1: The 2000s

2009 Léoville Poyferré 

Elegant on the nose with blueberries, eucalyptus, baking spices, and fudge. Good acidity. Graphite, forest floor, coal, and a salinity on the palate. Savory. Eucalyptus comes through on the palate. A bit of a green note. Lengthy finish. Beautiful wine -- Author.

Currently a little austere but can't wait to try it in 5 - 10 years. Blueberry notes. Grippy, with lots of black fruits -- Brian.

2003 Léoville Poyferré 

Dark fruit, herbs, spices, tobacco, and cedar on the nose. Good acid level. Earthiness, spice, and plums on the palate. Wine belies the heat of the vintage -- Author.

This was a very Cabernet-dominant vintage. Not as fruit-heavy as some other 2003s. Plums, velvety tannins. Well on the road to full integration. Was my second choice overall of all the wines -- Brian.

This was the wine of the flight.

2000 Léoville Poyferré 

Not as good as the two preceding wines. Almost over-the-hill. Some VA and an odd character. VA becomes more prevalent with time -- Author.

Tart cherries and cedar. A green note and starting to fall off a bit. Some tobacco notes but not there at all -- Brian.

Flight 2: The 1990s

1996 Léoville Poyferré 

Dark fruit, graphite, pencil lead, black pepper, red pepper, and spice on the nose. Beautiful palate. Balanced. Some drying -- Author.

Loads of Petit Verdot in this vintage. Fantastic nose (in retrospect one of the best of the tasting). Wine still needs time. Somewhat reminiscent of a Leoville Las Cases -- Brian.

1995 Léoville Poyferré 

Ginger, mint, eucalyptus, and pepper spice on the nose. Cherry on the palate along with salinity and a savoriness. Unresolved. Short finish -- Author.

While similar to the 1996, the acid and tannins were a little overwhelming for me. Good, not great. Cedar and less fruit than preceding wines. Very shallow/short wine -- Brian.

1990 Léoville Poyferré

Blueberry, eucalyptus, sweaty saddle leather, and cigar box on the nose. Red and dark fruit on the palate. Great finish -- Author.

Wonderful wine. Garnet/Ruby color and a great cherry nose. Luxardo cocktail cherries. Medicinal, but not in a bad way. Hint of thyme as well. Fully integrated and along finish. This wine is ready now -- Brian

This wine was adjudged the wine of the flight.

Flight 3: The 1970s

1978 Léoville Poyferré 

Eucalyptus on the nose. Sour cherry and cough syrup on the palate. Bold aromas and flavors -- Author.

Very short wine but fun. Expectations met for what some called the "miracle vintage." Medicinal with sour cherries -- Brian.

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After the completion of the flights, we voted for a wine of the night. The 1990 took the prize by a wide margin,

©Wine -- Mise en abyme

Etna Wines: Visit to Tenute Ballasanti

In 2024 I had the pleasure of tasting the wines of Tenute Ballasanti for the first time and documented that experience in a subsequent blog post. On this year's visit to ViniMilo we ran into Manuela at one of the public events and she could not wait to have us taste the new addition to her lineup: a Rosé. During the course of the evening we agreed that Brandon and I would visit her at home and taste through the new releases.

Barbara (Liuzzo) had agreed to drive us over and showed up promptly at the appointed time. It was a beautiful, scenic drive with the sea a dominant sight ahead of us as we threaded our way through small village after small village. We finally pulled up at two large wrought-iron gates and Barbara signaled that we had arrived. She placed a call and Manuela arrived to open the gates.

Barbara and Manuela

From the little that I could see initially, it appeared to be an expansive property but, what was even more captivating, was the view of the towns below; and the expanse of water stretching away from the towns. 

We did a quick tour of the tasting room and the old Palmento that was being refurbished then Manuela said we would be taking a walk outside to see this retreat that her Grandma had built when she (Manuela) was still a child. Then it hit me. This was the childhood home that Manuela had talked about in my initial post. This was the magnet that had pulled her back to her wine roots.

We began to walk up an unassuming hill in the indicated direction and, as far as you could see, the right side of the path was chock full of grape vines straining under the weight of sizable bunches of grapes. And on the left side, every kind of fruit tree that exists under the sun. And the hill? It was not so unassuming after all. After a labored journey to the slow-arriving summit, I dropped, exhausted, onto the bench where Manuela's grandmother had sat and contemplated the fate of the world. It was beautiful. It was majestic. It was commanding. And it was windy.

Our path down was less strenuous. The tasting was set up in a room off the kitchen and we repaired there. Manuela's daughter -- Gaia, currently completing the thesis for her degree -- is interested in eventually managing the wine enterprise so she joined in the tasting. The vineyards from which the grapes are sourced were detailed in the post mentioned earlier.

We tasted four wines, the first of which was the 2023 Tenute Ballasanti Etna Bianco DOC, a 100% Carricante wine with grapes sourced from the Il Tenaci Vineyard in Contrada Chiusitti. Sage, rosemary, minerality, mint, and salinity on the nose. Rich on the palate. Weighty, with bright acidity. Citrus and burnt citrus skin. Persistent salinity.

The Nerello Mascalese grapes for the 2024 Rosé were sourced from the Sublime Vineyard. This is the maiden vintage. The grapes were soft-pressed and then the must fermented. There is some skin contact. The wine was kept on the lees until March of this year.

Strawberries, lees, and bubble gum on the nose. Non-aggressive attack. Persistent salinity and minerality on the palate. Bitter almond and a saline finish. Food would serve this wine well.

The 2023 Etna Rosso is made from 15-year-old vines and is fermented in stainless steel with twice-weekly punchdowns. Malolactic fermentation and aging (7 months) also occur in stainless steel vessels.

Smoke, jasmine, licorice, lees, and sweet red fruit on the nose. Focused and smooth on the palate. Linear. Light on its feet. Rich finish.

The 2023 Sicilia DOC is dedicated to Manuela's youngest son. The wine is fermented 1/3 whole-cluster and the remainder de-stemmed. Malolactic fermentation and aging in steel. 

Red fruits, herbs, and a hint of burnt rubber on the nose. Ephemeral. Light on the attack but then explodes. Bright red fruit. Salinity and a little green note. Persistent. Linear but pleasant.

During the course of the tasting, Manuela's youngest son and a friend had dropped in. We utilized the friend's photography skills to capture some group pics featuring the stunning backdrop.

All in all a great day. Looking forward to the continued growth of this winery and a bright future for Gaia at its helm (eventually). Manuela has a number of ideas as to how to meld art and wine into a cohesive whole to the benefit of both and some initiatives are on the horizon. I hope to report on those as they become more fully fleshed out.

©Wine -- Mise en abyme

Wine imitating art: Salvo Foti's Mt Etna through the lens of Art History

In a recent interview (11/9/25) with Gambero Rosso, Salvo Foti, the pillar of tradition in Mt Etna winemaking, described a Renaissance in Mt Etna winemaking and I could not help but place the entirety of his discussion within the context of the art history of that period. 

Salvo Foti and Author

The charts below (created for use in my art blog EverythingElse 238) illustrate the art historical period preceding the Renaissance as well as the sub-groupings into which the Renaissance itself is further divided.

In his interview, Foti describes the Renaissance in Etna winemaking as beginning in the early 1990s. In art historical terms, events before this would fall into the Gothic period. In this period, tagged by Foti as the late 80s - early 90s, there was "little interest in Sicily's native grape varieties and typical agriculture in general." Etna winemaking was not viewed favorably  and the wine that was made was primarily sold in bulk at the "cellar door." Only Villagrande and Murgo bottled consistently, with most producers selling-on their grapes.

"At the beginning of the 15th century, Italy experienced a cultural rebirth, a renaissance that would massively affect all sectors of society. Turning away from the preceding Gothic and Romanesque periods' iconography, Florentine artists spurred a rejuvenation of the glories of classical art in line with a more humanistic and individualistic emerging contemporary era. Based in this flourishing new environment that empowered people to fully immerse themselves in studies of the humanities, Early Renaissance artists began to create work intensified by knowledge of architecture, philosophy, theology, mathematics, science, and design. The innovations that emerged in art during this period would go on to cause reverberations, which continue to influence creative and cultural arenas today" (theartstory.org). 

There is no common agreement as to the trigger(s) of the Renaissance of the 15th century but Foti is declarative as to the Renaissance driving forces in the case of Etna winemaking: (i) Benanti's desire to become a quality wine producer (1988) and (ii) his (Salvo's) "historical and technical-scientific research in collaboration with Professor Rocco Di Stefano, Director of the Experimental Institute of Oenology in Asti."

Key artists of the Early Renaissance include such notable names as Masaccio, Donatello, Filippo Brunellschi, and Fra Angelico. Early players in the Etna Renaissance were, according to Salvo, Alice Bonacorsi, Valcerasa, Ciro Biondi, i Vigneri, and Il Cantanta.

"The High Renaissance, subsequently coined to denote the artistic pinnacle of the Renaissance, refers to a thirty-year period exemplified by the groundbreaking, iconic works of art being made in Italy during what was considered a thriving societal prime. A rejuvenation of classical art married with a deep investigation into the humanities spurred artists of unparalleled mastery whose creations were informed by a keen knowledge of science, anatomy, and architecture, and remain today, some of the most awe-inspiring works of excellence in the historical art canon (theartstory.org)." The notables of this period include, Raphael, Michelangelo, and Leonardo da Vinci.

And then Salvo pivoted to talking about the role of "foreigners" in the Etna wine story. There is an underlying tone here that the rest of the world has gotten the narrative wrong. That the world sees the Renaissance in Etna winemaking as being synonymous with the arrival of Andrea Franchetti, Frank Cornelissen, and Marc de Grazia. As shown above, Salvo has gone to great lengths to place the Renaissance in a prior period. What they brought, he stipulates, was an enormous burst in production, promotion, and sales.

Having spent time with all three of these named producers, I am of the opinion that they also contributed to the fabric and scope of winemaking on the mountain. Regardless, this was a step forward for Mt Etna, one which I equate, in art historical terms, to the High Renaissance.

Mannersism emerged at the end of the High Renaissance and manifested as a "stylized twist" on Renaissance classicism. The name derives from the Italian word maniera which translates as "style" or "manner." Mannerism is viewed as a bridge between High Renaissance and Baroque. The chart above shows both the context and geographic distribution of the Mannerist school. As stated by the Tate Museum,

Rather than adopting the harmonious ideals associated with Raphael and Michelangelo, Mannerists went a step further to create highly artificial compositions which showed off their techniques and skills in manipulating compositional elements to create a sense of sophisticated elegance.

And this is the fear that Salvo has for Etna wines. He is concerned about those who come to Etna not to produce "Etna wines" but only "wines made on Etna." Salvo points out that the environment supports natural wines. luxury wines, artisanal wines, technological wines, and industrial wines. His fear is that "the exponential and sudden growth that is crossing the Etna wine will give space to improvisation, uncontrolled and without programming ..."

©Wine -- Mise en abyme