Santa Maria La Nave Millesulmare, Mount Etna, Sicily

With volcanic minerality, wild mountain fruits and a hint of pineapple, this is an elegant and vibrant wine.

Producer Note

This small, authentic boutique winery on Mount Etna, was established by Giuseppe "Peppino" Mulone in 1954. Santa Maria la Nave grows indigenous varieties such as Nerello Mascalese and Nerello Cappuccio in an ancient vineyard with rich, fertile volcanic soils. Passion and respect for the unique microclimate, along with artisanal vinification are at the heart of the Santa Maria La Nave project. Produced in small quantities, from dramatic surroundings, these are exquisite, food friendly wines.

Vintage

The 2015 vintage saw significant rainfall in winter and spring, which built soil water reserves. Summer was balanced in terms of weather conditions; dry and windy with sporadic heatwaves. From June onwards the area was very dry resulting in a low quantity, but the quality of the fruit was exceptionally high, resulting in an extraordinary vintage. 

Vineyard

The vineyard is situated on the north-western slopes of Mount Etna, at an altitude of 1,100 metres - one of the highest vineyards in Europe. Following a 15 year massal selection of local plants, the Grecanico Dorato vines planted are from several ancient clones grafted on Richter 110 and Paulsen 1103 rootstocks. The climate provides warm, dry days during the summer, with strong temperature fluctuations during the ripening period. The highly organic soil has significant residues of old lave flow, imparting a marked minerality in the final wine. The vines are predominantly trained on the Guyot trellising system. The vines are farmed using organic principles, without the use of pesticides and are manually harvested. The vineyard is in conversion to organic status and will be certified from the January vintage.

Winemaking

The grapes were de-stalked and gently pressed, obtaining 60% of free run juice. The must was cold settled at 10°C for 36 hours prior to being inoculated with strictly local yeasts. Alcoholic fermentation took place at 18 to 20°C, in order to preserve the aromatic content of the must. The wine was then racked, followed by a weekly stirring of the lees. The cool temperatures stabilised the tartaric acid, making the final wine less acidic and softer on the palate. After a gentle clarification and filtration, the wine was bottled and aged for a further six months.

Tasting Note

A bright and fine example of Grecanico Dorato, with a distinctive minerality combined with wild mountain fruits, citrus characters and a hint of pineapple. Dry, with a balanced acidity, this elegant and harmonious wine has a lovely lingering finish.

Serving Suggestion

The perfect pairing with all seafood dishes, sushi and sashimi, pasta with clams, risotto or delicate vegetable dishes.

Grape

Grecanico Dorato 100%