Nerello Mascalese with a little Nerello Cappuccio and Alicante - floral and expressive, this wine smells of red fruits, particularly morello cherries coupled with dry flowers. The palate is soft and silky, with a taut acidity and fine, textural tannins. The wine is sapid with an underlying minerality typical of the volcanic soils of Mt Etna.

Organically grown Nerello Mascalese grapes were hand harvested from old bush vines (60 – 100 years old) located on the northern slopes of Mt Etna, Sicily. Altitudes of the vineyards vary from 800-950 metres above sea level, with the soils being mineral rich, decomposed lava. Small quantities of Nerello Cappuccio and Alicante (Grenache) were included in the field blend. Harvest took place during the middle of October in 2017.

The grapes were destemmed by hand into several Georgian qvevris (clay vessels) ranging from 800 -1500 liters capacity. The qvevris were handmade in western Georgia by artisan Zaalido Bozhadze, who sourced the clay high in the Caucasus Mountains. The qvevris were buried in the underground wine cellar of “Vino di Anna” in 2014 where they remain permanently.

Fermentation was conducted by indigenous yeasts. Upon completion, the qvevris were sealed and the grapes and new wine were left to macerate for an extended period of time; 2-4 months. The macerated grapes were then pressed and combined with the new wine into a single qvevri before a passage of 6 months in an old wooden cask. The wine was bottled in September 2018. It was neither fined nor filtered and SO2 was not used.

Vino di Anna

Anna Martens and Eric Narioo started making wine together on Mount Etna in 2008. In 2010 they purchased their first vineyard of old, vine Nerello Mascelese and a 250 yr old palmen+o and wine building which they restored and “Vino di Anna” was created. Today they own 8 hectares of land which they farm biodynamically. They have extended the winery and buried 9 Georgian qvevri for vinification and maturation.

The domain is situated high on the north face of Mt Etna, near the village of Solicchiata. The soils are black, fertile and rich in minerals. The volcano is in constant eruption, often sprinkling the vineyards with fresh cinders. The vineyards are located along terraces at high altitudes (600-1200 metres). The climate is extreme making it both an exciting and challenging place to make natural wine.

Vino di Anna makes a wide range of natural wines.The vineyards are farmed organically and tended by hand. The grapes are all hand harvested. The vines are alberello (bush vines) and range in age from 40 – 100 plus years old. Nerello Mascalese is the principal red grape. The white is a field blend of local grapes, mainly Grecanico and Carricante. The wines are made with minimal intervention, natural yeasts, no additives, no fining or filtering. Little or no SO2 is used.