Curated Boxes
Etna, or merely, “a muntagna” in Sicilian slang, looks like a giant black cone, visible from a distance of 250 Kms. Mt Etna is also the Europe’s largest active volcano. Surronded at its base by oranges, nectarines, lemons, olives, agaves, prickly pears, banana trees, palms, eucalyptus, pine trees and vineyards. On its higher level, hazel trees, almond, pistachio and chestnut trees keep eyes on oak trees, beech, birch and pine trees. Facing at this richness in fauna and flora, Etna can be considered a continent where we walk through centuries of history, picking up a piece of lava, a branch of ginestra and above all, the strong desire to visit it once again. Due to its special position and morphology on Etna we can find different volcanic substrates and several microclimatic conditions that mean an area of land with different structures and terroirs, changing from one part of the volcano to another. Unique wines, all different one-another even if cultivated in the same macro-area. “Etna” is also the first Sicilian wine area to obtain the Controlled Denomination of Origin (DOC).
Hyblaean mountains (“Monti Iblei”, Sicily) and the whole Vallee of Noto in general are characterized by Karst topography. Limestone-clay soil, rich in iron and minerals, hot-arid Mediterranean climate, the hottest in Italy, with strong temperature variations between night and day. Originally a plateau emerged from the Mediterraneum, in this corner of the island rivers have eroded the landscape, forming several deep canyons. Although predominantly limestone, in some areas (such as Mount Lauro, 987 mt a.s.l. once part of submerged volcanic complex) we find volcanic features and sandstone nearby the coastal area. Almond and Carob-tree are the distinctive marks of the territory along with the dry stonewall. Climate conditions and natural organic cultivation, allow to obtain wines with typical and unique organoleptic features thanks to centuries-old wine making tradition. Nero d’Avola and Frappato, native red grapes, express their uniqueness and specificity only in this area between the mountains and the Mediterranean sea. As a blend of these two exceptional grapes comes to life the Cerasuolo di Vittoria, only one DOCG in Sicily and anchestor of the old “Mesopotamium wine” traded since the time of Fenicië as discovered in archeologic findings.
