Etna Classical method

Production of spumante wines on mount Etna

Etna stands over the beautiful and fertile land of the province of Catania and dominates all Eastern Sicily. Idda, ‘a Muntagna’ – as it is called by local people – is linked by a very strong bond of love to them.

Known all over the world to be the highest active volcano in Europe, Etna is a guardian of millenary history. Transformed into myth by different civilizations living around the centuries in Sicily, today it represents one of the most appreciated oenological phenomena around the world for the elegance and longevity of its wines and for a production of spumante wine with classical method fully placing it among the best territories for spumante wines in Italy.

Despite being in Sicily, Etna is an oenological continent on its own, made unique by the volcanic origin of its terraces cultived with grapewines, by alpine altitudes, by Mediterranean climate, apart from the  differences in soil composition of different slopes, districts and vineyards.

It is exactly the great variety of pedoclimatic conditions, even within the same vineyard, that makes Etna an extraordinary territory: for example there are different zones where it is possible to produce good basis for spumante wines, because it is possible to preserve acidity in the grapes and to guarantee, at the same time, the right level of aroma.

The unique characteristics of this territory and of its valuable local grapevines, thanks to the winemaker’s interpretation and his hard work in vineyard and in cellar, make it possible to have an authentic taste of Etna in the glass.

A bit of history

1870 | The first classical method sparkling wines on Etna

The history of Spumante wines from Etna starts in the area of Adrano, where the Castle of Solicchiata is located. Its merloned towers in neogothic style still today dominate terraces of vineyards and the surrounding wood. It is the South-West slope of the volcano, outside the production area of Etna…

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1887 | from Champagne to Etna spumante

The name “Champagne Etna” – born for business reasons and due to baron Felice Spitaleri di Muglia’s fascination with French wine culture, dating back to his long stay across the Alps during his ‘Grand Tour’ around Europe – from 1887 could not be used any more. In that year, infact,…

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1989 | The first spumante wine from Nerello Mascalese

After a long oblivion, it is Emanuele Scammacca del Murgo who, more recently, believed and invested again in Spumante wines from Etna starting from grape harvest in 1989, when the first classical method from local Nerello Mascalese grapes was born. Today Nerello Mascalese, according to technical regulations established by the…

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2005 | The first spumante wine from Carricante

The best expression of Etna in white grapes is Carricante, name given by winegrowers from the area around Viagrande (South-East slope of the volcano) that refers to the high productivity of the variety: they referred to Carricante as a plant loaded (“carica”) with fruit. Thanks to Mr. Giuseppe Benanti’s insight,…

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2011 | The classical method becomes part of the Etna Doc specification

Technical regulations of Etna Doc wines (dated 1968 and, therefore, one of the most ancient in Italy) have been revised in 2011, including Spumante wines made with Classical Method in the versions White and Rosé, and establishing, for both, a basis obtained with at least 60% of Nerello Mascalese grapes….

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2014 | Cantine Nicosia produces the first Brut Bianco in Etna DOC

The first ‘blanc de noir’ from certified Doc Etna Nerello Mascalese came out in 2014 by Nicosia. With Sosta Tre Santi Etna Brut millesimato 2011, to which Carricante Brut was immediately added, the company completes a long work of research to make spumante wine from local grapes, becoming a new…

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