HEROIC VITICULTURE: ETNA AND FAVIGNANA
Etna and Favignana, two geographical opposites in Sicily, two totally different types of viticulture, one by the sea and one in the mountains, but both capable of coexisting and developing within the philosophy of excellence in wine production and promotion of the territory that Firriato has always sought and desired.
Engaging in heroic mountain viticulture, understanding its peculiarities, discovering its oenological and productive value, while maintaining the philosophy and style of a brand that today has the strength and reputation to represent Sicily’s quality wines around the world. We are in the territory of Castiglione di Sicilia, on the northeast side of the great volcano, in an agricultural context where the vine has naturally adapted to soil and climate conditions that, at these latitudes, are almost unique and unrepeatable. The vineyard is traditional: Nerello Mascalese and Carricante, the main grape varieties of the volcano. These are specimens of extraordinary importance which, due to the fact that they are located in sandy soils, managed to survive the phylloxera plague that attacked and destroyed most of the vines in Italy in the early 1900s. Furthermore, the black lava soil, the forest that reaches the edges of the vineyard, and the series of dry stone retaining walls are the elements of a timeless mosaic.
For Firriato, the Cavanera Etnea Estate is the emblem of an important and solid production program that encompasses major projects such as the production of Gaudensius Classic Method sparkling wine, the promotion of the Contrade with Cavanera wines, and the restoration of the pre-phylloxera vineyard with Signum Aetnae, made from vines with an average age of over 150 years.
The Calamoni Estate is located on the central-southern side of the island, a stone’s throw from the sea, and in the narrowest part of the strip of land dominated by the high promontory. The sea plays a fundamental role in shaping the organoleptic properties of the grapes, providing a wealth of valuable saline and mineral components. The vineyards of the Calamoni Estate, ten meters from the Calamoni cliff, are grown on sandy soils, among outcrops of tuff and red sand, an element that gives the wines a great and exceptional minerality.
The constant breeze is also the most important natural pesticide, ensuring a dry and mild climate all year round.
The close proximity to the sea, combined with the natural fertilization provided by Poseidonia (a marine plant rich in potassium, which is lifted up by the south winds during storms and scattered throughout the vineyard), gives the grapes unique aromas.
We are faced with a truly heroic form of viticulture by the sea, practiced in a production context that is surprising for the nature of its landscape, but difficult and ambitious, characterized by particular and extreme soil and climate conditions. (Archive photo)
