Etna Wine Region - Sicily, Italy

July 2023

Etna Wine Region – Sicily, Italy

Mt Etna wine is having a moment. Being one of the oldest wine regions in Italy, this once farm land that sold grapes to other wine growing regions as blending grapes is now on the world stage for producing elegant and refined wine. At home, the Sicilian wine we have predominantly seen was Nero d’Avola – so we knew we had a lot to learn about Mt Etna wine when none of the restaurants or wine tastings offered it. That is certainly our favorite part of exploring new wine regions – learning so much more about them, in addition to wine tasting of course.

The wine region hugs Mt Etna along the north, east and south sides of the volcano. The volcano soil is extremely fertile and results in amazing agriculture. There are over 130 “contradas” which are unofficially subdivided regions within the DOC. Think of them like French Crus and each contrada has different characteristics that result in different wines – even the same grape planted in different contradas yield different wines due to the volcanic soil.

Many of our European trips have centered around a wine region and we have always booked with a tour guide for several reasons including that it is not common to simply drop by a winery and expect a tasting, and so we did not have to drive and we could enjoy ourselves. When I started exploring the various vineyards, many had the option of scheduling a tasting so I was confident that since we had the car, we could create our own wine tasting tour around Mt Etna. We decided to focus on the northern region of the DOC where there is a high concentration of excellent wineries. I found a handful of spots that were high on the list, including:

Cantine Tornatore*
Palmento Costanzo
Tenuta della Terre Nere*
Cottanera*
Planeta Sciaranuova
Passopisciaro
Graci
Pietradolce
Tenuta di Fessina

The locations with the * are where we made reservations for and we allotted a day of our itinerary for wine tasting.

A note on driving in Sicily (and really Italy in general) – the reputation of crazy driving and no rules is accurate to an extent. There is an understanding between all the drivers on the unwritten rules of the road. For us on the scooter, we took a very safe approach to going to speed we were comfortable and allowing drivers to simply pass us. And I think that is the trick here – do not slow down the traffic, do not be the reason for honking and “rude” driving, simply pull over and allow the rush to pass and continue on. If you are uncertain about navigating city streets, do the same – pull over or find a safe spot to park to gather yourself, observe your surroundings, check a map, and then proceed.

Cantine Tornatore

Our first stop of the day! We arrived to a quite morning as the vineyard started to awake for out 10AM appointment. We met with our guide who escorted us during our tasting. She went through the history of Sicilian wine and how while Sicily has been growing grapes for centuries, the showcase of Sicilian wine on the global stage is quite new. In fact, the founder of Tornatore had a familiar story to others we have heard where the family farm was growing grapes and selling them for generations keeping a few for themselves as table wine or holiday gifts. Until the founder decided to turn the grapes into their own wine and then production took off. Our walk through the vineyard showcased the volcanic soil and how it varies even a few rows apart between vines. And with Mt Etna looming in the background, the views from the vineyard were beautiful.

After our walk, we took a quick peek into the cellar and the components of the wine making process. Then it was time for our tasting on the patio. We were greeted by two vineyard dogs which of course made Kevin quite happy. Our tasting included sampling five wines with local products to pair. The whites were paired with a cheese and salumi plate and then the reds were paired with a grazing board of Sicilian specialties like zucchini, sun dried tomatoes, and more. We liked the whites best.

This tasting was wonderful and it was so enjoyable to have the experience in the vineyard and then tasting. The wines here were delicious and the hospitality was warm and inviting.

Palmento Costanzo

Our next stop was a ten minute ride. Unfortunately I had the wrong location and it set us back a bit. Typically being late in Italy is not noticed on Italian time but of course for this visit we arrived and the tour had gone without us. It was no worry to us, we sat and waited for the guide who confirmed our appointment – though did not have documentation of our lunch reservation but was still able to accommodate. And I am so glad they did cause this lunch was so delicious! Each wine was paired with a course. We were also greeted by another vineyard dog which again, made Kevin very happy. While it was not the attentive service as at the last winery, there was only one person serving for the place. We learned what we could on our own through booklets on the table and graphics around the tasting room. At the end of our meal, the server did take us to the cellar which he did not have to do. The grounds here really are stunning. The tasting and lunch set up were so great so I would recommend stopping here! We may have been visiting on a busy day so I will not judge the hospitality but honestly, we did not need it to have a great time.

After lunch, we took the opportunity to walk the grounds which are beautifully manicured. I do not know what the allure is exactly but the vines in a row with Mt Etna in the back really photographed well.

Tenuta della Terre Nere

Rated one of the best wineries in the northern Mt Etna region, Terre Nere comes from a long history of bringing elegant Sicilian wine to the world stage. Demand for their wine continues to rise but this boutique vineyard will not compromise their qualify to meet demand.

We started with a cellar tour as they finished a round of bottling for the day. This part was very cool as we really got to see every component. On our way to the vineyards, we spot multiple vineyard dogs looking for pets – they have seven! We got to walk around the vines and see some of the originals that are over 100 years old.

Finally we ended with a tasting of four wines – two white and two red, and our server treated us to an additional wine as well. The wine here was excellent and I will be seeking it out when we get home.
I feel that the three we picked definitely gave a sampling of what Mt Etna has to offer and gave us three difference experiences.

Each one that we chose gave us a completely different and unique experience to showcase their wines. There are many other wineries you can visit, but I have to say these should definitely be on your list. Make sure to book appointments in advance to make the most out of your day wine tasting!