Twenty years ago, no one was talking about wine from Mount Etna. Now, nobody can stop. Much of the thanks goes to a man named Salvo Foti. This immensely talented, fiercely dedicated viticulturist and winemaker began work as a consultant in Eastern Sicily in 1981 and has played an outsized role in Etna’s rise to prominence. His main preoccupation has been the rehabilitation of old, abandoned vineyards on Mount Etna (of which there are many), and the launch of “I Vigneri” in 2001, its name a reference to a vine-growers’ association first established on Etna in 1435. Mario Paoluzi was one of Salvo’s first students/partners, and has been making pure Etna terroir his focus at “I Custodi” for almost two decades now. Together, they produce wines at the pinnacle of Sicilian greatness. And given all that “Pistus” is a tremendous value to boot!
BONUS: We also have small amounts of Mario’s top wine “Aetneus.” Made from very old vines at extremely high altitudes, and released after many years of aging, this is one of Etna’s most exemplary wines. We don’t have much, click HERE to grab some!
Mount Etna, in the Northeastern corner of Sicily, is one of the most active volcanoes on the planet–and yet Sicilians have been growing grapes here for longer than the name “Sicilia” was around. Steep slopes and pure, volcanic soils combine with hot sunny days and cool, high elevation evenings to make wines that have an exquisite combination of structure and elegance–often compared to Nebbiolo in Piedmont or Pinot Noir in Burgundy. Albeit with a fiery minerality that is totally unique. Mario Paoluzi and his mentor Salvi Foto know this mountain, and its terroir, like the back of their hands, and they employ their combined decades of experience with the volcano to produce exceptional wines.
Mario founded his project in 2007, and he named his label “I Custodi” in honor of the “guardians” of ancient viticulture he has partnered up with. He produces five Etnean wines from four different vineyards, or “contrade”, all of which are farmed by members of the “I Vigneri” growers’ association. The vines are all located on the north slope of Mount Etna at elevations that reach past 650 meters. Soils are, obviously, volcanic—a black, sandy pumice—and the vines, never touched by phylloxera, are very old and trained in the alberello (“little bush”) method.
“Pistus” is the cuvée that is made from the younger vines not destined for the flagship “Aetneus” bottling. The hand-harvested (by necessity!) fruit is mostly de-stemmed and then fermented with native yeasts in stainless steel vats. The finished wine is then aged for another 12 months in those same steel tanks before bottling. Despite being a “fresh,” young vines cuvée, Mario insists on letting this wine rest in bottle for another year or so before being released–making it ready to impress from day one.
Serve “Pistus” at a very cool cellar temperature, around 55-60 degrees, to emphasize the silky, sumptuous red fruits. But as it warms a bit more savory notes will emerge: spiced cherries are followed by blood orange, rose hips, black tea, smoke, and underbrush. It is medium to medium-light bodied, with a sappy core of fruit framed by vibrant acidity and sandy tannins. The bright, semi-translucent ruby red color actually makes this wine appear lighter than it is, but the pure, volcanic power lies just underneath. Pair with classic Sicilian dishes like tuna pasta or tuna crudo for a truly transportive experience.
