STILL MORE ETNA FOR DI GAETANO’ S FAMILY. WITH THE NEW ACQUISITIONS IN DIFFERENT CONTRADA AND THE BORN OF THE NEW CELLAR, FIRRIATO CONFIRMS THE STRATEGIC VALUE OF THIS TERROIR IN ITS PRODUCTION – IN THE SHOWCASE OF VERONA TWO NEW WINES: THE PREFILLOSSERA CRU SIGNUM AETENAE AND THE ETNA ROSÉ, SABBIE DELL’ETNA – FEDERICO LOMBARDO DI MONTE IATO: “WE COMPLETE A PRODUCTION PROJECT DEDICATED TO THIS LAND OF EXCELLENCE THAT TOGETHER WITH THE CAVANERA ENOTURISM, REPRESENTS AN EXTRAORDINARY UNICUM”
Every year, Vinitaly represents an important moment of confrontation with experts and consumers for the Di Gaetano family. But this edition, for the Sicilian brand, reveals wider reasons: here, the construction of the new cellar will be officially presented (one of the most modern of the Etna volcano) and two new wines.
With a production of nearly 75 hectares of vines, spread over different contrada on the north and north-east side of the volcano, today Firriato plays an important productive role that, with the construction of the new vinification and aging cellar in the Cavanera estate (the inauguration will take place in June, to be in full efficient over the harvest 2019) finds a breath and a dimension that few other wine companies can boast about Etna.
“Etna is an extraordinary resource for quality Sicilian wine – states Federico Lombardo of Monte Iato, COO of the company – and Firriato was one of the first wineries to recognize its potential and to invest, giving support to its project of the Authentic Terroir, always in steady evolution “.
On the most active volcano in Europe, the Sicilian maison practices mountain viticulture in five different production contexts, located in different contrada, with different exposures and altitudes, able to compose an organoleptic picture of grapes much more complex and rich in distinctive contributions. On the strength of these differences, today Feriato has a production that counts seven labels, among refined classic method sparkling wines, elegant white wines and great aging reds.
Among these Top bottles – and this is one of the innovations brought to this Vinitaly – the summit of the Pyramid of quality on Etna – under the Firriato brand – belongs to a prefillossera wine Reserve, Signum Aetenae, the new cru of the Di Gaetano family, destined to become a Super Etna, not only for the small number of bottles produced (3500), but for the ability to return the concept of complexity and elegance that Etna is now able to affirm. Since 2014 harvest, operated selectively in the Cavanera prefillossera vineyard, these bottles constitute a small treasure to be preserved over time. He spent two full years in wood, in medium barrels of French oak, then three years in the bottle before being marketed. A real treat for connoisseurs.
Always and still Etna, and worth a debut as the first of the class – the first still rosé of the vintage 2018. Le Sabbie dell’Etna rosato is all to be discovered for the intensity of the aromas and the freshness brought in dowry by acidity obtained from a selection of Nerello Mascalese grapes harvested slightly earlier.
Finally, and this is perhaps the reason that will wake up operators and buyers’ imnterest of is the production capacity of Firriato on the Etna. A project that finds its flagship in the new Cavanera Etnea winery that will be fully active as early as the next harvest. This structure, completely in harmony with the landscape, is based – like the entire Firriato production philosophy – on the eco-sustainability milestones, and consists of three floors that develop, partly and vertically, within a lava flow, penetrating the soil for several meters, so that the natural thermal insulation given by lava rock is exploited, also as a function of energy saving. Conceived and organized to fully exploit the gravitational force by fall, from the unloading of the grapes to the vinification, the new Firriato Winery is equipped with all those technologies that allow us to affirm an enology of precision more attentive to the integrity of the fruit and quality of the grapes. All the processes are constantly monitored, so as to guarantee not only the full traceability of each batch of grapes belonging to a specific portion of the vineyard, but to monitor their evolution until the process is concluded.
All the attention and care possible for Etna wines. In the belly of the cellar then, in an area created inside a ridge of lava, there are the refinement spaces that naturally ensure constant levels of humidity and temperature, generating the ideal conditions for resting in red wood and for the classic Gaudensius method. The top floor, instead, which will have the prefilossera vineyard as its horizon, was conceived and organized to make the meeting with Firriato on Etna and with its wines a complete experience to be discovered. Large reception and tasting areas, with wine shop welcome the wine lover arriving on Etna. It will be possible to visit vineyards and cellar, discover the processes of processing and aging, listen to the story of excellence and unspoiled nature from the direct voice of those working in the vineyards and in the cellar. The wine tourism offer of the Cavanera Etnea Wine Resort is completed with new services, thus becoming one of the most avant-garde structures in the reception and value of the experience that wine lovers can live by choosing Firriato
“This new productive structure, so advanced in the processes and technologies that contribute – together with the sensitivity of man, his experience, his know-how – to define the identity and the qualitative profile of our wines, has only one purpose, that of always seeking the best from what we do and are. Today Firriato is a reality rooted by the first vintage of 2001 – concludes Federico Lombardo di Monte Iato – together with the other Etna producers, we share a vision that looks far and in time ”.
Find Firriato at Vinitaly, visit us at Stand 2, hall 19A/23B
PR & Comunicazione
Andrea Terenghi – (+39) 348- 3115953 –terenghi@granviasc.it
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via Giotto, 92 – 90145 Palermo
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