95 Points James Suckling
92 Points Wine Advocate
92 Points Wine Enthusiast
GRAPE VARIETY - Nerello Mascalese and a fraction of Nerello Cappuccio
AREA OF PRODUCTION - Castiglione di Sicilia, northern slopes of mount Etna
YIELD PER HECTARE - 60 quintals
HARVEST PERIOD - 2th and 3th day of October
WINEMAKING SYSTEM - After the grapes are harvested by hand in small crates they are quickly brought to the winery where they are manually selected on a belt conveyor. Then they are destemmed and not completely crushed, and sent to truncated cone shaped wooden vat, where they macerate for about 10/12 days at a temperature of 22/25 °C. On a daily basis many times per day, the grapes on maceration are manually punched down with the usage of a pneumatic fulling machine.
After fermentation, the grapes are left to macerate for few days more, than wine is separated from grape skins, which are pressed with a traditional vertical press.
The wine obtained is aged in wooden barrels of 25 hectoliters, 18 months before being bottled.
AGING - 18 months in wooden barrels and in cement tanks and 6 months in bottle.
COLOR AND TASTING NOTES - Ruby red, rich and complex on the nose, remembers blackberries and black cherry. Delicate hint of wood. On the palate is complex with an extraordinary persistence.
Out of a Sicilian family heritage that traces back to the 17th century, the Tornatore’s Mount Etna wine ventures began in 1865. Today the family’s operations are headed by Giuseppe Tornatore, a businessman whose expertise led to the acquisition of some of the region’s finest north-facing vineyards in the early 2000’s.
“Our vineyards and our winery are only a few kilometers from our family home. Our entire family is rooted there. We have the greatest respect for this region, and we believe we have a responsibility to be stewards of Etna and to reflect its distinct character in our wines.” - Giuseppe Tornatore
Tornatore’s wines take root on the Northern slopes of Mount Etna, the tallest active volcano on the European continent. 114 acres of vines are planted at 550 to 700 meters above sea level in fertile, fast-draining volcanic soils. Basking in ample Sicilian sunshine and warmth, the vineyards also benefit from the rainfall and moderating breezes provided by Mount Etna.
