Nerello Mascalese is a late-ripening, thin-skinned grape with low tannins: I like to think of it as a love affair between Pinot Noir and Nebbiolo, with grace and firmness, floral character and a powerful mouthfeel. Meanwhile, Carricante is a white grape variety that shows unique flavours and texture. Within the Etna region, vines tend to produce generous fruit with a consistently high and bright acidity, which appears to be more vibrant and sharp on the northern side of Etna; fresher and smoother on its eastern slope. The texture can be assertive or firm, but it becomes crisper at altitude and on the northern side of the volcano.

These native grape varieties truly reflect the magic and diversity of the volcano’s terroir and their characteristics define their great ageing potential: Etna gives linear, subtle, elegant red wines with a pale colour and silky tannins; clean, defined and precise styles with vibrant acidity and a gastronomic finish. The concentration of flavours, assertive acidity and elegant but firm tannins allow these wines to evolve gracefully in bottle for many years. It’s common to taste Nerello Mascalese wines from 2006 to 2008 and find plenty of primary fruit vibrancy alongside refined tertiary evolution – and the same can be said of a beautifully graceful Catarratto at 10 to 15 years of age; vintages such as 2008 or 2013 are still dominated by delicious fruit and enriched by complexity.

The half-moon shape of the DOC encompasses different slopes (north, east and south) and altitudes, as well as a variety of vineyard aspects that follow the sinuous lines of the mountains, creating a patchwork of terraces. This leads to a range of ripening periods, and different aromatic concentrations and flavour profiles. To understand them better is to understand some of the best selections for the cellar.

The northern slope of the volcano is dominated by Nerello Mascalese vineyards, with increasing plantings of Carricante. The climate here offers a lower temperature thanks to the cooling afternoon breeze from Nebrodi. Altitude also plays a crucial role, combined with the age of the soils, determined by each eruption (the latest here happened in 1981 close to the municipality of Randazzo). High-altitude Nerello displays paler colour, silkier tannins, and more floral aromas, but soil can deeply influence the overall style. For instance, when comparing Contrada Sciaranuova with Contrada Rampante – two crus that sit next to each other – there’s a clear difference on the palate. Since Sciaranuova has slightly younger soils (probably formed between 1600 and 1800), its wines show velvety character and a smoother mid-palate. On the contrary, Rampante shows higher, firmer tannins with lots of vibrancy and a vivid fruit core (for me, it’s one of my favourite expressions of Nerello). Both can age beautifully with more complexity from tertiary evolution and persistent tannins

Carricante is more dominant in the east, especially in the area around Milo. Again, altitude plays a role in the definition of the final style of the wines, giving a more linear character and a slender profile to Carricante. The more fertile soils, thanks to a combination of older eruptions and alluvial subsoils, are perfect for producing Carricante, while the poorer soils are mostly designated for Nerello Mascalese. The temperature is mitigated by the proximity to the sea, which gives a greater temperature range and breezes, but also more rain (around 1,000mm per year), helping Carricante to produce abundant crops. Vintages like 2015 are still dominated by primary crunchy fruit, showing more integrated, ripe acidity and a smoky finish.

The warmer and sunnier south gives body and a generosity of fruit to both Nerello and Carricante. Soils are rich and well-draining, with lots of pumice soils (locally called ‘ripiddu’) further contributing to a broad palate and flamboyant style. Here, Carricante may be vinified and aged with greater influence from new oak, which stands up well to a dense mouthfeel that needs time to bloom. Recent vintages like 2019 still show tightly bound fruit and a nervous palate.

The wines that follow truly reflect a sense of place as well as the capacity to develop in bottle, helping demonstrate why people have quickly come round to the idea of Etna wine joining the ranks of the classic wine regions of the world.