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Caruso & Minini
Located on Sicily’s western-most
coast near the town of Marsala,
Founded in the late 1800’s when
Antonio Caruso bought the
company to grow grapes for the
MARSALA nearby Marsala factories. Nino
Located 20 kilometers from the sea, the area is cooled by strong winds, yet is far enough from Caruso finally decided to begin
them to avoid any potential damage. The area, which was under water millions of years ago, is making and bottling his own
wine in the mid 1900s. In 2004,
characterized by its alluvial soil, rich in water and organic substances. Most notable are the large Stefano Caruso joined forces
stones called cuti in local dialect. The softball-sized cuti not only impart a distinct minerality on with Mario Minini of Lombardy
the grapes grown in them, but also soak up heat from the sun which they transfer to the vines, to launch the present-day winery,
allowing for an earlier ripening of the grapes thus making harvest possible at a stage which will producing biodynamic wines
from indigenous Sicilian
allow for higher acidity in the wines. varietals. Stefano’s daughter
Giovanna heads up this historic
winery, which now boasts 120
hectares at 200-400 meters
above sea level.
Caruso & Minini massanois.com
Caruso & Minini Cattarratto, Sicilia DOC 2018 $203.90 93 VN
Caruso & Minini Perricone, Terre Siciliane IGT 2017 $203.90 95 VN Graci
Caruso & Minini Nero d’Avola, Sicilia DOC 2018 $203.90 91 VN Young Alberto Aiello Graci’s
winery is situated on the north
slope of Mount Etna at
Passopisciaro. Their vineyards
sit at an altitude between 600
and 1,000 meters above sea
level. Many of the vines are still
MOUNT ETNA on original rootstock, ungrafted,
having never been affected by the
Etna is an Italian wine DOC which covers the slopes of Mount Etna, the 3330 meter (10,920ft) phylloxera scourge thanks to the
active volcano that dominates the northeastern corner of Sicily. This makes many of its vineyards unique nature of the volcanic
the highest elevation plantings in the world. The Etna DOC was the very first in Sicily, and has soils. Graci remains steadfast in
their respect for local traditions
been largely unaffected by phylloxera thanks to its unique volcanic soils. Its steeply-sloped, and indigenous varietals.
terraced vineyards are difficult to navigate with mechanical equipment so most of the tending and Intervention of any kind is
harvesting of the vines has to be done by hand. extremely limited, both in the
vineyard and in the cellar,
including the fact that they
remain barrique-free.
Graci massanois.com
Graci Etna Bianco DOC 2018 $287.90 91 JS, 91+RP
Tenuta di Fessina
Graci Etna Rosato DOC 2018 $239.90 90 JS In 2007, Silvia Maestrelli
founded Tenuta di Fessina in the
village of Rovittello on the
Graci Nerello Mascalese Etna Rosso DOC 2016 $275.90 92 DEC, 93 JS, 91 WS northeastern side of Mt. Etna.
They have 17 acres of vineyards
Graci Feudo di Mezzo Nerello Mascalese in Rovittello (2,200 feet) and 6
Etna Rosso DOC 2016 $623.90 acres between Milo and Santa
Graci Barbabecchi Nerello Mascalese Maria di Licodìa (3,280 feet).
These vineyards are located on
Etna Rosso DOC 2014 (3pk) $470.90 93 WS, 96 RP different sides of the mountain in
order to produce the best
expressions of the indigenous
varietals. Winemaker Federico
Curtaz, Maestrelli has created, in
Tenuta di Fessina vineyardbrands.com just 10 years, one of the most
Fessina Erse Etna Bianco DOC 2016 $239.90 93 JS, 90 VN, 91 WE successful and recognizable
cellars in the Etna area and has
Fessina A’Puddara Etna Bianco DOC 2016 (6pk) $276.00 92 JS, 90 WS become a perfect ambassador of
new Sicilian viticulture.
Fessina Erse Etna Rosso DOC 2016 $239.90 93 JS, 93 VN, 90 WE
Fessina Laeneo Nerello Cappuccio 2016 (6pk) $180.00 94 JS, 93 VN
Fessina Il Musmeci Etna Rosso Reserve 2012 (6pk) $210.00 92 JS, 90 WE, 90 WS
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