Looking back over my notes and pictures from my attendance at ViniMilo 2025, I realized that, by a large margin, I had drunk more Affiu Etna Bianco Superiore than any other wine. And this consumption was a combination of organized tastings and informal meals at restaurants. I had obviously liked this wine because we kept on ordering it. Below is a series of pictures illustrating my encounters with the Affiu label over the course of the ViniMilo 2025 period.
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| The author with Andrea Di Maio of Eredi Di Maio at ViniMilo 2025
 at Milo Wine Bar on the evening of August 28, 2025 |
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| Affiu 2021 being tasted at the Vinimilo 2025 Etna Bianco Superiore super-tasting, September 1, 2025 |
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| Affiu at the ViniMilo 2025 "Young Guns" tasting, September 7, 2025 |
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| Affiu tasted at lunch in Zafferana Etnea on September 9, 2025 |
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| Affiu tasted at lunch at Ristorante Da Rinuccio, September 11, 2025 |
This wine is made by Eredi Di Maio and merits deeper exploration.
The family has been growing grapes on the volcano since 1867. The company literature indicates that Santo Di Maio, great-grandfather of the current generation, returned to Sicily from Argentina to continue cultivation of the family vineyard. During his tenure, he expanded both the size and production levels. Pre-Phylloxera Carricante and Nerello Mascalese were grown in that pioneering vineyard.
Santo passed management of the estate to his son Alfio who continued the tradition of excellent management of the patrimony.
The estate began vinifying grapes in 2018 and produces wine within the following constraints:
- Only essential interventions
- Respect for nature
- Respect for the territories within which they operate.
Vineyards
The Eredi Di Maio vineyard presence on Milo is illustrated in the chart below.
The chart shows a total of six vineyards distributed over four of the eight Milo contrade. Three of these vineyards are sited in Contrada Caselle with one each in Rinazzo, Praino, and Volpare. Rinazzo is the oldest, planted back in 1867, followed by two of the Caselles in the 1920s, and the Volpare in 1947. The two remaining vineyards are relatively recent additions.
The norm for Eredi Di Maio is small vineyards, with none exceeding 1 ha in surface area. The total vineyard ha is 2.8 with an average of 0.56 ha/vineyard. Of the total 2.8 ha, 2.6 are planted to Carricante with the remainder Nerello Mascalese.
The trend has been to reduced plant density in Eredi Di Maio vineyards. The earliest vineyards were planted to 10,000 vines/ha while the most recent additions are approximately 7,000 vines/ha.
The estate uses copper to combat downy mildew and sulfur for powdery mildew. Sulfur also increases the effectiveness of copper against downy mildew.
Affiu Etna Bianco Superiore
Grapes for Affiu are soft-pressed and then fermented and matured in stainless steel tanks. The wine is further aged in bottle for 6 months prior to release on the market.
When I first tasted this wine during my 2024 ViniMilo visit, I described it as perfumed, with walnut and salinity on the nose. Lean but balanced. Spice. Great wine in need of time. In the "Young Guns" tasting at ViniMilo 2025, I described it as follows: Lime, bruised apple, salinity, mint, honeyed, and with a slight medicinal quality. A beautiful nose. Orange on the palate. Enters easily and proceeds smoothly to a long, spicy finish. Mineral transit. Persistent as it relates to minerality. Elegant.
And, so, after the "Young Guns" tasting, I was further sold on this wine. My philosophy became, "if you see it, buy it."
This wine also has fans within the Milo grape-growing community. When I did my limited 2024 survey on the best Etna Bianco Superiores, Affiu received three mentions (the most). Further, it was described as follows:
I concur.A young winery with an old soul. The vineyards are very dated, partly a hundred years old, and give birth to wines of an absolute depth, of impeccable typicality and great quality. Bright colors that turn from straw to pale golden, nose of fresh, ripe white-fleshed fruit, orange blossom, honey, and hints of citrus. Sour, freschissimo sip, with supportive but never excessive alcohol content, very pleasant salinity. Very good even hours after opening the bottle. Excellent,
