In one of our recent posts, we wrote about three great wineries near Sicily’s volcano, Mt. Etna. But since there are about 140 wineries on and near Mt. Etna, no need to limit your experience to just three of them. Here are three more Mt. Etna vineyards that we recommend. Just don’t try to visit all six in one day!
Our guide for this excursion from Taormina was the very knowledgeable Alex, through Experience Taormina. This tour was a bit different from our wine tastings with Prestelli Sicily Tours; this time we enjoyed tastings at two Mt. Etna vineyards and then a tour and a full course lunch at the third vineyard.
1. Cottanera
Cottanera, in operation since 1960, is in Castiglione di Sicilia on the Northeast slope of Mt. Etna.
Cottanera makes it a priority to hire women, which the the owners say are more gentle with the grapes.
The winery also claims that many of its female employees are able to pass wine harvesting knowledge down from generation to generation, allowing families to develop skills and expertise.
We tasted:
· Etna DOC Bianco, 100% Carricanti 😊
· Fatagione, made with Nerello Mascalese, Merlot and Shiraz 😊
2. Tenuta di Fessina
Tenuta di Fessina is a woman-owned winery in Castiglione di Sicilia. We toured its 17th century buildings and saw its centuries-old wine making equipment. The winery places grass around the vines to provide natural irrigation, because automated irrigation is not allowed on Mt. Etna; it would artificially change the area’s micro-climate.
We tasted:
· Erse Rosato, a rosé made with Nerello Mascalese and Nerello Cappuccio ½ 😊
· Laeneo, a red made with 100% Cappuccio 😊+
· Il Musmeci, an Etna Rosso DOC Reserva, made with 100% Nerello Mascalese and which pays tribute to the Musmeci family, which formerly owned the winery 😊😊
3. Fischetti
Fischetti is another woman-owned winery in Castiglione di Sicilia. The vineyard we toured was also full of a wide variety of beautiful fruit trees. We had a delicious locally-sourced lunch in a farmhouse that was hundreds of years old. We were served tomatoes, salumi, olives, two types of cheeses, sausages, grilled meat on a skewer, and pistachios.
Lunch was paired with:
· Muscamento Etna Bianco, the classic Etna white, made with Catarratto Bianco and Carricante 😊
· Muscamento Etna Rosso, the classic Etna red, with made with Nerello Mascalese and Nerello Cappuccio 😊😊
We hope these recommendations on Mt. Etna vineyards were helpful as you plan your trip to Sicily. The region’s history is unique, its wines wonderful. And if you want to toast like a Sicilian, say Cin Cin!
Have any suggestions or feedback? Don’t hesitate to send us a message at info@winewithourfamily.com.
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