In Castiglione di Sicilia, a new winery in the shadow of Europe's most famous volcano transfers the character of the lava soils into its wines and shows why Etna has become the most interesting wine area of the moment
For once, let's start with the label, which has the creative power to tell so much with few strokes and to remain etched in the memory. A black isosceles trapezoid represents a stylized volcano, from whose crater colored lips appear, symbol of an eruption, but also of a sensual woman's mouth. "In Sicily, Etna is called feminine, the muntagna", says Sofia Bosco who worked in the art field, before turning to wine production. His sense of beauty returns in the architecture of the new cellar, next to the inauguration, a sort of temple covered with slabs of lava stone, reminiscent of a zigurrat, the buildings of ancient Mesopotamia, depicting the communication between heaven and earth.
The company was founded in 2010, due to love at first sight and luck. Sofia and her husband, in search of vineyards to buy on the volcano, find a plot in the Santo Spirito district, in Passopisciaro, with sapling vines of about 150 years of age, and an estate in Solicchiata, not far away, of which we have news written as early as 1669. The landscape is an enchantment, it looks like a stone garden, made of dark walls that contain patches of land where vines grow from large, twisted trunks; here and there, yellow bushes of broom give a touch of color, guarded in the distance from the top of Etna, which remains white with snow for most of the year.
They dedicate themselves with enthusiasm to the recovery of the plots, which are cultivated immediately with organic methods, and the first wines come out in 2012, signed by Alice, Sofia's sister, with the advice of a famous winemaker, as Carlo Ferrini.
From the old saplings, planted on soils rich in minerals at an altitude of 700 meters, Vigna Vico is born, the most important wine of Tenute Bosco and the one that is best able to tell the elegance and power of Etna wines. It opens to the nose with fascinating aromas of cherry, a touch of blood orange, rose petals and smoky notes; it is fresh, tasty and savory when tasted. If he were an athlete, he would have the gaunt, strong and graceful physique of an African marathon runner.
Why now: despite being a wine produced for only a few years, it has already collected important prizes: it deserves to be discovered by those who do not know it yet.
As did: the grapes are 90% nerello mascalese and 10% nerello cappuccio; fermentation at controlled temperature lasts about twenty days, with daily punching down, refining takes place in a 700 liter tonneau for 12-14 months, then in steel for at least 3 months and, finally, in the bottle for at least a year.
To combine with: pork fillet, seasoned cheeses, eggplant parmigiana, baked pasta with ragù, grilled meats.
Serve it at: 16 ° C.
Price: 43 euros.
Tenutebosco.com
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