Donnafugata - Sul Vulcano - Etna Bianco 2021

Description

A goddess-volcano stands out on the Etna Bianco label by Donnafugata "Sul Vulcano". Its intense colors, red, yellow, iridescent blacks, are those of the highest active volcano in Europe. An ancient, powerful and feminine deity: "the Mountain" as Etna is called by the locals. "Sul Vulcano" is a declaration of love: a pure wine with a marked minerality that makes you breathe the energy of this unique place located in the center of the Mediterranean.

Tasting notes

Straw yellow color with golden reflections; on the nose it presents a refined bouquet of white flowers combined with delicate citrus and vegetable scents, followed by mineral notes of flint. On the palate it is enveloping, fresh and sapid, characterized by a marked minerality and persistence; a wine that unfolds great elegance and complexity. Perfect with crustaceans, vegetarian first courses and porcini mushrooms.

Vineyard

Located on the Eastern Sicily, on the north side of Etna, between Randazzo and Passopisciaro. The vineyard is located at an altitude from 730 to 750m; the composition of the sandy texture lava soil offers a sub acid-neutral reaction, with good organic endowment. Deep, rich in minerals, the lava soil allows strong root growth. This area north of the volcano has a "climatic pocket" characterized by precipitations lower than the average of the other slopes of Etna. Summers are cool, characterized by strong temperature changes between day and night. Trained with Alberello or VSP (Vertical Shoot Positioning) trellising with spurred cordon pruning. Density of about 4,500 plants per hectare with a yield of from 4.5 to 6.5 tons/ha (1.8 tons-2.6 tons/acre).

Vinification

Manual harvesting of grapes into crates with careful selection of the grapes in the vineyard. The high summer temperatures resulted in ripening about 10 days earlier than the traditional grape ripening period in this territory: thus the Carricante harvest started on 22/9 and concluded on 25/9. Fermentation in stainless steel, at a temperature of 14-16°C. Aging partly in tanks and partly in French oak (second and third passage barriques) for 10 months and then at least 9 months in bottle before release.

Vintage

In the 2017 vintage, overall, there was 678 mm of rainfall, less than the average (788mm), recorded on the north side of Etna. However, it should be noted that, during almost the entire month of January, snow covered the vineyards, slowly releasing a significant supply of water into the ground. Green pruning carried out between June and July aimed to define the vegetation-production balance allowing the vegetative cycle to finish regularly and to give rise to very healthy grapes. 2017 vintage presents a quality that reaches peaks of excellence: the wines are characterized by extreme cleanliness, freshness and aromatic intensity.

Estate

Donnafugata Winery is one of Italy’s finest wineries and praised by wine critics and wine lovers alike all over the globe. Located in Sicily, Donnafugata has various estates including the historic cellar in Marsala, the beautiful Contessa Entellina country house and vineyards in the western interior of the island, and another winery and estate in the windswept island of Pantelleria off Sicily’s southwest coast. The Rallo family who owns Donnafugata have been in the wine business for over a century and the current generation is extremely dynamic and visionary. The Donnafugata brand was born in the early 1980s by Giacomo and Gabriella Rallo in the family’s historic cellars and today their children José and Antonio play prominent roles in the company.

Italy Sicily Etna