A new international accolade celebrates Firriato’s excellence: Cavanera Contrada Verzella 2023 Ripa di Scorciavacca has been awarded 91 points by Decanter, the renowned British magazine and one of the most influential voices in the global wine world. This recognition confirms the quality and distinct personality of a wine that has become an icon of Etna’s northern slope, where mountain viticulture meets the energy of the volcano and the finesse of an unparalleled terroir.
Founded in 1975, Decanter is today acknowledged as one of the foremost authorities in the wine industry, thanks to its independent tasting panels and the expertise of the Masters of Wine and critics who contribute to its assessments. Surpassing the 90-point threshold means entering the elite circle of the world’s great wines—an achievement that, for Firriato, reaffirms its unwavering commitment to enhancing Sicily’s terroirs and expressing their most authentic character.
Cavanera Contrada Verzella is an Etna DOC White Cru, born from the encounter between Carricante and a small part of Catarratto, two native grape varieties that find their finest expression on the slopes of the volcano. The vineyards, rooted in “young” volcanic soils rich in minerals, benefit from a unique mountain microclimate that gives the wines remarkable balance, freshness, and extraordinary ageing potential. The result is an elegant, vibrant white wine where mineral tension harmoniously blends with softness and aromatic depth.
Every stage of production is carried out with meticulous care: from sustainable vineyard management to the manual selection of the grapes, and a winemaking process designed to enhance purity and complexity. The outcome is a bright, refined wine with an intense bouquet of citrus fruits, white flowers, Mediterranean herbs, and flint—a vivid expression of Etna’s authentic soul.
With this achievement, Firriato further consolidates its role among the leading figures of the new Etna viticulture, continuing to combine territorial identity, sustainability, and innovation in a narrative of taste and authenticity that brings the essence of Etna to the world.
