Four Extraordinary Reds from the Slopes of Mount Etna

Ancient Vines. Black Lava. Born of Fire.

On the eastern coast of Sicily, Mount Etna rises more than 11,000 feet above the Mediterranean, its slopes shaped by thousands of years of volcanic eruptions, ancient lava flows, and layers of mineral-rich ash. Europe's tallest active volcano is also home to one of Italy's most extraordinary wine regions, where centuries-old vines cling to steep terraces of black volcanic rock at elevations approaching 3,300 feet. Here, the combination of extreme altitude, dramatic temperature shifts, and remarkably diverse volcanic soils produces red wines of extraordinary perfume, mineral intensity, and structural elegance. Often compared to the finest wines of Burgundy and Barolo, Etna's greatest reds possess a character entirely their own, shaped by a landscape where the geological forces that created the vineyards remain very much alive.

Etna's Inferno brings together four remarkable expressions of this singular terroir from Calabretta, Tenuta delle Terre Nere, Passopisciaro, and I Custodi, each revealing a different chapter in the volcano's extraordinary winemaking history. From ungrafted Nerello Mascalese rooted directly in ancient volcanic soils to the celebrated lava fields of Calderara Sottana, the extreme elevations of Rampante, and a magnificent decade-old Riserva produced from vines reportedly more than two centuries old, this collection captures the remarkable diversity of Mount Etna. These are wines of extraordinary character, where the raw power of an active volcano meets the precision, finesse, and longevity of Italy's greatest red wines.

Included Wines

2022 Calabretta, "Piede Franco" Vino Rosso, Mt. Etna

I. The Ungrafted

94 Points, Jeb Dunnuck

Few producers embody the traditional spirit of Mount Etna quite like Calabretta, a historic family estate celebrated for its uncompromising approach to Nerello Mascalese. While the domaine's legendary Vigne Vecchie has earned a devoted following among collectors, its remarkable Piede Franco offers an entirely different connection to Etna's ancient viticultural heritage. The name translates to "own-rooted," referring to Nerello Mascalese vines grown without grafting onto American rootstock, a rarity in modern European viticulture. Planted from a massal selection of the estate's ancestral vines, some more than 80 years old, these ungrafted vines grow in the black volcanic soils of Contrada Taccione at elevations approaching 800 meters. Calabretta's traditional, low-intervention approach preserves the remarkable character of this extraordinary landscape, producing a wine that combines the savory complexity of mature Barolo with the aromatic elegance of fine Burgundy.

The 2022 Piede Franco, awarded 94 points by Jeb Dunnuck, reveals layers of wild sour cherry, raspberry, dried flowers, blood orange, and crushed sage, accompanied by notes of iron-rich earth, black pepper, and volcanic smoke. Bright mountain acidity and finely textured tannins give the wine remarkable precision, while a lingering saline finish reflects the distinctive character of its volcanic origins. Pure, expressive, and deeply traditional, Piede Franco introduces the collection through one of Etna's most fascinating stories: the extraordinary relationship between ungrafted vines and the volcanic earth beneath them.

2024 Tenuta delle Terre Nere, Etna Rosso "Calderara Sottana"

II. The Lava Fields

Few estates have contributed more to Mount Etna's modern renaissance than Tenuta delle Terre Nere. Founded in 2002 by celebrated Italian wine importer Marco de Grazia, the estate helped establish the extraordinary potential of Etna's individual contrade, demonstrating that the volcano's diverse vineyard sites could produce wines with the same remarkable individuality associated with Burgundy's greatest crus. Among its most celebrated holdings is Calderara Sottana, a historic vineyard on Etna's northern slopes where ancient lava flows have created an extraordinary landscape of volcanic rock, black pumice, and mineral-rich soils. Here, Nerello Mascalese vines ranging from approximately 50 to 100 years old produce fruit of exceptional concentration and aromatic complexity, capturing the profound influence of a terroir shaped by successive volcanic eruptions over thousands of years.

The 2024 Calderara Sottana offers a beautifully expressive interpretation of this remarkable site, combining the elegance of Nerello Mascalese with the depth and structure of its ancient volcanic soils. Aromas of wild red cherry, dried rose petals, orange peel, and Mediterranean herbs emerge alongside subtle notes of crushed volcanic stone and warm spice. The palate is remarkably refined, with vibrant acidity, fine-grained tannins, and a persistent mineral character that gives the wine exceptional definition. Often compared to the great wines of Burgundy and Piedmont, Calderara Sottana demonstrates why Etna's finest single-vineyard expressions have become some of Italy's most sought-after reds. This is the second dimension of Etna's Inferno: the remarkable individuality of vineyards born from ancient lava flows.

2024 Passopisciaro, "Contrada R" (Rampante), Terre Siciliane IGT

III. The Summit

95+ Points, Vinous

When the late Andrea Franchetti established Passopisciaro on Mount Etna's northern slopes, he recognized something extraordinary in the volcano's abandoned terraces: the potential to produce wines of remarkable precision, elegance, and individuality from some of Europe's most extreme vineyard sites. Today, his son Benjamin Franchetti continues that vision, preserving the estate's commitment to expressing the distinct character of Etna's historic contrade. Among its most compelling wines is Contrada R, sourced from the remarkable vineyard of Rampante, situated at approximately 1,000 meters above sea level, near the upper limits of viticulture on the volcano. Here, ancient, heavily weathered lava soils and dramatically cooler mountain temperatures create an environment where Nerello Mascalese ripens slowly, developing extraordinary aromatic complexity while retaining remarkable freshness and tension.

The 2024 Contrada R, awarded 95+ points by Vinous, captures the exceptional character of this high-altitude terroir. Darkly alluring aromas of blackberry, plum skin, grilled herbs, crushed volcanic rock, and exotic spice introduce a wine of remarkable depth and precision. Despite its concentration, the palate possesses an almost weightless elegance, with cool-toned red and black fruit carried by vibrant acidity, finely integrated tannins, and a persistent stony mineral finish. The combination of mountain freshness, volcanic intensity, and extraordinary aromatic definition recalls the finest expressions of Grand Cru Burgundy, yet remains unmistakably Etna. Rampante reveals the third dimension of the volcano: the extraordinary elegance that emerges at the extreme heights of its ancient vineyards.

2016 I Vigneri I Custodi, "Saeculare", Etna Rosso Riserva DOC

IV. The Ancient

97 Points, Vinous

The final wine in Etna's Inferno represents one of the most extraordinary surviving connections to Sicily's ancient winemaking heritage. Produced by I Custodi under the guidance of Mario Paoluzi and legendary Etna viticulturist Salvo Foti, Saeculare is sourced from remarkable pre-phylloxera bush vines in Contrada Feudo di Mezzo, some reportedly approaching 220 years of age. These ancient alberello vines, rooted in volcanic soils at elevations exceeding 650 meters, have survived generations of eruptions, shifting landscapes, and dramatic changes in European viticulture. The wine's name references the Roman Ludi Saeculares, or Century Games, a celebration of the passage of generations and a fitting tribute to vines that have endured for more than two centuries. Produced only in select vintages, with fewer than 275 cases made worldwide, Saeculare stands among the rarest and most historically compelling expressions of Mount Etna.

The 2016 Saeculare, awarded 97 points by Vinous, is composed primarily of Nerello Mascalese, complemented by Nerello Cappuccio and Alicante. Following traditional vinification, the wine undergoes an extraordinarily patient maturation, spending approximately three years in neutral 500-liter oak vessels followed by another three years in bottle before release. Now a decade beyond its harvest, the wine reveals beautifully developed layers of dried red cherry, blood orange, crushed rose petals, iron-rich earth, and smoldering volcanic ash. Its remarkable depth is balanced by vibrant mountain acidity, refined tannins, and the persistent saline minerality that defines Etna's greatest reds. Combining the savory complexity of mature Barolo with the aromatic finesse of Grand Cru Burgundy, Saeculare offers a profound expression of history, terroir, and time. The collection concludes with its most extraordinary revelation: ancient vines that have endured for centuries on the slopes of one of the world's most active volcanoes.