Marvels on the Margins: Part 6 – The Guide to Mt. Etna
This is Part 6 of Marvels on the Margins, a series of guides on great regions of Italy that are a little off the radar compared to Barolo or Brunello. You can read the introduction to the series here, as well as Part 2 Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, Part 3 on Trentino-Alto Adige, Part 4 on Aglianico, and Part 5 on Friuli.
The Ghost on the Mountain
In 2001, I took my first trip to Sicily. I wasn't a wine merchant yet, but I was already a wine obsessive. Before I got on the plane, I did what I always do: I studied. I read broadly about Sicilian wine, made lists, and prepared to drink my way across the island.
And I did. I traveled around the island drinking every interesting Sicilian bottle I could find on local wine lists. And do you know what?
Not once did I read about a wine from Mt. Etna. And not once did I drink a wine from Mt. Etna.
Looking back, this seems impossible. Today, Etna is the darling of every sommelier in New York and London. It is arguably the most exciting "new" wine region in Europe. But just 25 years ago, for all intents and purposes, it didn't exist. There were reported to be only four commercial wineries bottling wine on the mountain at the time.
The irony, of course, is that Etna isn't "new" at all. It is an incredibly ancient wine region—one of Italy's oldest—that simply fell into virtually complete oblivion. It was a ghost region. It wasn't until pioneers like Salvo Foti and Giuseppe Benanti started to re-energize the area in the 1990s that the volcano began to wake up, priming it for its eventual re-discovery by the wine world in the 2000s.
I was thrilled when I eventually started encountering these wines a few years after that trip—I think the first ones were the delle Terre Nere wines from Marc de Grazia. They were so silky, so elegant, and so unlike any other Italian wines I had ever tasted.
Why Etna is a "Marvel"
So, why include Etna in a series about "Marvels on the Margins"? If you hang out in wine bars in Brooklyn or Shoreditch, you might think Etna is as famous as Chianti.
But among the wider drinking public, it is still flying under the radar. You rarely see these wines in major auction catalogs. You don't see them accumulating dust in the investment cellars of people who only buy labels they recognise. And, critically, the prices are still wonderfully grounded.
While the "in-the-know" crowd has embraced them, the market hasn't fully corrected to the quality level yet. That is what makes it a Marvel on the Margin. This is a region with deep traditions, unique terroir, and wines that can stand toe-to-toe with the giants of the North—often for a fraction of the price.
The Burgundy of the Mediterranean?
You can’t talk about Etna without someone bringing up "The Burgundy of the Mediterranean." It is the most common metaphor used to describe the region. But does it hold up? Well, yes and no.
The reason wine geeks love this comparison isn't just about the flavor of the wine; it's about the terroir. Etna was the first Italian region south of the Alps to adopt a legally codified "Cru" system, one that rivals the complexity of the Côte d'Or’s.
These Crus are called Contrade (singular: Contrada). Officially recognized in 2011, there are now 142 of these distinct districts. They aren't just arbitrary lines on a map. They are based on old property lines that delineate specific lava flows.
Because Etna is an active volcano, a lava flow from 1614 has completely different mineral composition and soil depth than a flow from 1879 or 1947. This means that—just like in Burgundy—you can have two vineyards 500 yards apart that produce radically different wines. This "transparency of terroir" is the soul of Etna, and is what makes so many people think of Burgundy.
But no, the wines do not taste like Burgundy. If you pour a glass of Nerello Mascalese expecting the soft, red-fruited silkiness of a Volnay, you might be in for a surprise. While the wines are elegant, they are also fierce.
To me, the structure of Etna Rosso often has more in common with Barolo or Taurasi. Nerello Mascalese is a grape with significant tannins and high acidity—much closer to Nebbiolo than Pinot Noir. And flavor-wise, while there is plenty of the kind of berry fruits you might associate with Burgundy, you also get those darker, wilder notes of baked spice, coffee, smoke and iron – the kinds of things you might expect in a great bottle of Aglianico. Take a look at the chart above to get a very rough sense of how I see things (on average! In real life, individual Burgundies can be more tannic than Etna Rossos, etc.).
The Verdict? If you love Burgundian Pinot Noir, you might find Etna Rosso a bit more structured than you're used to. But if you love the mindset of Burgundy—the intellectual pleasure of tasting the difference between one patch of soil and another—then Etna is your paradise.
The Lay of the Land: A User’s Guide to the Volcano
When you look at a map of the Etna DOC, it looks like an inverted "C" wrapping around the volcano from North to South. Because the mountain is a cone, every side offers a completely different exposure to the sun and the sea.
If you want to understand what’s in the bottle, you need to know which slope it came from.
The North Slope (Versante Nord): The "Classic" Red Zone
If Etna has a "Côte de Nuits"—a spiritual home for its greatest reds—this is it. The vineyards here, clustered around the towns of Randazzo and Castiglione di Sicilia, face north. This might sound counterintuitive (don't you want sun?), but in the heat of Sicily, the northern exposure is a blessing. It allows for a slow, long ripening season. The wines from the North are generally the most structured, savory, and age-worthy. This is where you find the most famous Contrade and the highest concentration of top producers.
The East Slope (Versante Est): The White Wine Kingdom
This is the side that faces the Ionian Sea. It is pounded by rain and salty humidity. It is practically a rainforest compared to the rest of Sicily. Red grapes often struggle to ripen here without rotting, but Carricante loves it. This is home to the village of Milo, the only place where the regulations allow for the production of Etna Bianco Superiore. If you are drinking a saline, electric white (like the famous Benanti Pietra Marina), it almost certainly came from here.
The South Slope (Versante Sud): The Old Soul
The south is warmer and sunnier. Historically, this was the peasant heart of the region, dotted with ancient volcanic stone wineries called palmentos. For a long time, it was considered less prestigious than the North because the wines could be a bit wilder and more alcoholic. But that is changing fast. Producers are moving higher up the mountain here—climbing to crazy altitudes to beat the heat—making wines that combine the explosive fruit of the southern sun with the tension of high-altitude winemaking.
The Vertical Dimension: Altitude
Finally, you have to look at the elevation. This is some of the highest viticulture in Europe. We are talking about vineyards that start at 1,500 feet and climb past 3,500 feet.
- The Rule of Thumb: As you go higher, the temperature drops and the "diurnal shift" (the difference between day and night temps) gets more extreme. This preserves acidity.
- The Sweet Spot: generally, the best reds are found between 2,000 and 3,000 feet. Go much lower, and the wines can get flabby and alcoholic. Go much higher, and the Nerello Mascalese struggles to ripen.
The Exception: Carricante and sparkling wines can thrive at the very top limits (3,000+ feet), where the acidity would be too piercing for red wines.
The Grapes: Liquid Stone and Salty Air
Etna is an island within an island. While the rest of Sicily is famous for the often-jammy Nero d'Avola, Etna does not produce that grape at all, and instead grows varieties that are virtually nonexistent elsewhere. They are grapes that have adapted over centuries to high altitudes and violent soils.
The Red: Nerello Mascalese
This is the noble grape of the volcano. If you pour it into a glass and just look at it, you might be fooled into thinking it’s Pinot Noir. It has that same translucent, pale ruby color. But take a sip, and the illusion vanishes.
Nerello Mascalese is a master of disguise. It looks delicate, but it has serious energy and power inside. It has fierce tannins and high acidity—structure that has much more in common with Nebbiolo than Pinot Noir. This makes sense when you look at its DNA: recent studies have confirmed that Nerello Mascalese is actually a natural crossing of Sangiovese and the Calabrian white grape Mantonico Bianco. It has the Tuscan spine of Sangiovese, but with a wild, volcanic soul.
The Phylloxera Loophole
One of the most mind-blowing facts about Nerello Mascalese is the age of the vines. In the late 19th century, the phylloxera louse destroyed nearly every vineyard in Europe. But it didn't destroy Etna.
Why? Because the louse struggles to survive in sand. The soils on the slopes of the volcano are so rich in volcanic sand and silica that the pest literally couldn't swim through the dirt to eat the roots. As a result, Etna is one of the few places in Europe where you can still find ungrafted, pre-phylloxera vines. We are talking about gnarled, 100- to 140-year-old bushes that are still producing fruit today. This gives the wines a depth and complexity that "young" vines simply cannot replicate.
Nerello Cappuccio
This is Etna’s “other” red grape variety. Softer and darker, it’s used to add a little color and take the edge off Mascalese’s intense tannins. Maybe I’m just fooled by the name, which sounds a lot like cappuccino, but I generally find that this grape also adds an Aglianico-like coffee note to the blend.
The White: Carricante
For a long time, white wine on Etna was an afterthought. The name Carricante comes from the Italian word for "load" (carica), referring to the grape's ability to produce massive yields. For generations, farmers treated it as a workhorse.
But if you prune it back and treat it with respect, it transforms into something profound. My own "aha" moment with Etna came not from a red, but from a bottle of Benanti Pietra Marina.
When I tasted that wine for the first time, it was already 10 years old. I was totally floored. It had this electric, vibrating energy. It wasn't fruity; it was salty. It tasted like sea air and crushed rocks. At the time, I remember thinking, "This wine has no business being 30% the price of a good white Burgundy." (Benanti apparently agreed with me, because the price has since skyrocketed!).
Carricante has naturally high acidity—often higher than Riesling—with a pH so low it creates a sensation of "salinity" on the palate. Because of this structure, these wines can age for years, and probably decades. As they get older, they lose their primary citrus notes and develop complex aromas of flint, diesel, and dried herbs – aging on a curve that is somewhere between a Riesling and a Chablis.
Three Producers, Three Philosophies
Today, there are over 150 wineries on Etna. In this guide, I’m going to focus on just three of them, each with a distinct vision that speaks to what this volcano is capable of producing.
1. The Benchmark: Benanti
If you want to know what Etna sounded like before the hype, you drink Benanti. In the late 1980s, when most of the region was selling bulk wine to blending vats in the north, Giuseppe Benanti was conducting serious research into local clones and soils.
They are the standard-bearers for classicism. Today, the estate is run by Giuseppe's twin sons, Antonio and Salvino, who have maintained that incredible consistency. They make reference-point reds, but their true masterpiece is the white Pietra Marina. Sourced from vines on the rain-soaked eastern slope at about 2,600 feet, this is the wine that proved Carricante could age like Grand Cru Chablis. If you want to understand the "salty" character of Etna, this is the bottle to buy.
2. The Soul: Salvo Foti (I Vigneri & I Custodi)
You can’t talk about Etna without talking about Salvo Foti. He is the intellectual and spiritual godfather of the region.
Salvo isn't just a winemaker; he is a historian. He revived the Maestranzi dei Vigneri, a guild of vineyard workers that dates back to 1435. His philosophy is that the wine is made by the human element—specifically, the men who know how to prune the gnarly, free-standing bush vines (alberello) that cannot be farmed by machine.
Foti’s main job has been as a consultant, and he is often the brains behind many of the volcano’s top operations. His personal label, I Vigneri, produces wines that are pure, unadulterated soul. Salvo also serves as the agronomist and winemaker at I Custodi. The wines are brilliant—traditional, soulful, and often easier to find than the I Vigneri bottlings. Honestly, when I’m in the mood for Etna (it happens pretty often), a nice bottle of Pistus or Aetneus from I Custodi is often the first thing I think of.
3. The Wild One: Frank Cornelissen
Frank is a Belgian who definitely sees a link between Etna and Burgundy. After being inspired by a great DRC of all things, he came to the mountain and decided to strip wine down to its absolute naked core.
In the early days, his wines were controversial—sometimes cloudy, sometimes funky, always polarizing. But Frank never intended to make "funky" natural wine; he wanted to make pure wine. He describes his goal as "liquid stone."
Over the years, as he built a new winery and refined his craft, the wines have become incredibly precise. His top wine, Magma, comes from ungrafted vines at the dizzying elevation of 3,000 feet. It is made with zero sulfur and aged in epoxy vessels buried in the ground to maintain a "cosmic link" to the earth. It sounds crazy but it tastes profound and it vibrates with energy. It is certainly one of the great red wines of Italy.
Buying, Cellaring and Drinking
Etna is so new to the wine world that many of us are still figuring out exactly what to do with it . Obviously, you should start by drinking it! Almost all Etna wines are good to drink on release. Basic bottlings of Etna Rosso or Etna Bianco are meant to be drunk on release and remain excellent values. Indeed, this is another area where Etna has something in common with Burgundy, where you are expected to drink the more terroir-generic bottlings while cellaring the Cru (i.e., more terroir specific) bottlings.
So how about cellaring it? Why not! When you see a specific Contrada name on the label (like Rampante, Santo Spirito, or Feudo di Mezzo), treat it like a Premier Cru. These are distinct expressions of specific lava flows. While you can certainly drink them now—Etna Rosso is rarely as fiercely closed as a young Barolo—these are bottles that also deserve a spot in your cellar. I have had many delicious examples in the 10-15 years, and on a couple of occasions slightly older.
And don’t forget about the whites! Most people drink Italian whites within a year of harvest. But while Etna Biancos are delicious fresh, the top Carricante bottlings are able to improve for many years. I no longer find the Pietra Marina to be quite the amazing value it used to be in ageable white wine, but it is still great, and there are plenty of other examples out there at just half its price or even less.
Cellaring, though, is never as important as drinking. In good news, the wines of Etna are ridiculously versatile. It has the acidity to cut through fat, the structure to stand up to meat, but enough elegance not to overwhelm delicate dishes.
- The obvious choice: Sicilian food. There is a reason "what grows together goes together." Pasta alla Norma (eggplant and tomato) with a young Etna Rosso is hard to beat.
- The "Meaty Fish" Rule: Etna Rosso is one of the few red wines that pairs perfectly with fish. If you are grilling swordfish, tuna, or an oily fish like mackerel, and you want to drink red wine, Etna Rosso is perfect.
- The Sunday Roast: For the bigger, single-Contrada reds, think of it like you would just about any great Italian red….and think lamb! The wild, herbal, gamey notes of roasted lamb lock into the savory, volcanic soul of the wine perfectly.
- White wines: There’s so much great “white wine” Italian food out there (most primi for example) but not enough good Italian white wines to go with it! Well, try Etna Bianco! It is my go to over and over again.
Grow with the Mountain
Exploring Etna feels fundamentally different from any other wine adventure I’ve taken. When I was learning Burgundy, I was playing catch-up—trying to peek behind the curtain of secrets monks had already unlocked centuries ago. When I "discovered" the Jura, I was stepping into a time capsule that had been happily ignoring the rest of the world for generations.
But Etna? Etna feels like a frontier. We are all writing the history book together in real-time—not just the wine lovers and adventurers like me, but -- far more so -- the producers themselves. Every vintage brings a new winery, a new style, and a new discovery. This guide is just a snapshot of a volcano in motion. Five years from now, I’ll probably have to rewrite the whole thing.
Key Takeaways
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The Renaissance: Just 25 years ago, commercial bottling on Etna was virtually non-existent. Today, it is one of the most dynamic wine regions in the world, having moved from "bulk wine" production to fine wine prestige in record time.
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The Grapes:
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Nerello Mascalese (Red): The star of the show. Often compared to Pinot Noir for its pale color and elegance, but possesses the tannic structure and acidity of Nebbiolo.
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Carricante (White): A high-acid, saline white grape grown on the eastern slopes. Known for its ability to age for decades, developing Riesling-like notes of petrol and flint.
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The Terroir: Etna is home to some of the highest vineyards in Europe. The soil is volcanic sand and ash, which is naturally resistant to phylloxera, meaning many vines are ungrafted and over 100 years old.
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The "Cru" System: Etna was the first Italian region south of the Alps to adopt a legally codified system of Contrade (districts). These 142 distinct lava flows create specific micro-climates, allowing for a "Burgundian" expression of terroir.
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Buying Strategy: Use the "Burgundy model." Buy Etna Rosso DOC for immediate, high-value drinking. Buy single-vineyard Contrada wines for cellaring (5–15 years).
Frequently Asked Questions about Mt. Etna Wine
What does Etna Rosso taste like?
Etna Rosso is often described as a cross between Pinot Noir and Barolo. It is typically pale ruby in color and medium-bodied. On the nose, expect red berries (sour cherry, strawberry), dried herbs, and floral notes. On the palate, however, it is savory and structured, with distinct minerality, firm tannins, and high acidity derived from the volcanic soil and high altitude.
Why is Etna called the "Burgundy of the Mediterranean"?
This nickname refers to the region's focus on terroir. Just as Burgundy is divided into specific Climats and Crus, Etna is divided into 142 Contrade (districts). Because lava flows from different eras have different mineral compositions, wines grown just a few hundred yards apart can taste completely different. It is this transparency of place, rather than the flavor of the wine itself, that drives the comparison.
Can you age Etna wines? Generally yes.
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Etna Rosso (Red): Standard bottlings are delicious within 3–5 years. Single Contrada wines often hit their peak between 8 and 15 years, where the tannins soften and the savory complexity emerges.
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Etna Bianco (White): Top-tier Carricante (especially Etna Bianco Superiore) is one of the most age-worthy whites in Italy. They can easily evolve for 10–15 years, gaining richness and complex notes similar to aged Riesling or Chablis.
What is the best food pairing for Etna Rosso?
Etna Rosso is incredibly versatile. It is one of the few red wines that pairs exceptionally well with meaty fish like tuna, swordfish, or mackerel. It is also a classic match for Pasta alla Norma (eggplant and tomato). For aged or single-vineyard bottles, roast lamb or wild boar are ideal pairings to match the wine's gamey, herbal undertones.
What are the main grapes of Mt. Etna?
The primary red grape is Nerello Mascalese, often blended with a small amount of Nerello Cappuccio for color and softness. The primary white grape is Carricante, which must make up at least 60% of an Etna Bianco blend (and 80% for Etna Bianco Superiore).
Are there old vines on Mt. Etna?
Yes. Etna has some of the oldest vines in Europe. Because the soil is composed largely of volcanic sand and silica, the phylloxera louse (which destroyed most European vineyards in the late 19th century) cannot survive there. As a result, many vines are ungrafted (on their original rootstock) and can be upwards of 100 to 140 years old.
What is the difference between Etna Rosso and Nero d'Avola?
This is the biggest confusion in Sicilian wine. Nero d'Avola grows in the hot, low-lying parts of Sicily and produces dark, jammy, full-bodied wines (similar to Shiraz). Etna Rosso grows at high altitude on a volcano and produces pale, elegant, high-acid wines (similar to Pinot Noir). They are complete opposites in style.
Should I chill Etna Rosso?
Yes, slightly. Because Nerello Mascalese has high acidity and moderate alcohol (usually), it benefits from being served at "cellar temperature" (around 60–64°F / 16–18°C). If it is too warm, the alcohol can feel sharp; a slight chill brings out the crisp red fruit and floral aromatics.
Is Etna wine "Natural Wine"?
Many of the most famous producers on Etna (like Frank Cornelissen and I Vigneri) are icons of the Natural Wine movement, practicing low-intervention winemaking with little to no sulfur. However, not all Etna wine is "natural", though the region as a whole leans heavily toward organic farming because the high altitude and wind make it easy to farm without chemicals.
Does Mt. Etna make sparkling wine?
Yes, and it is excellent. Nerello Mascalese is perfect for sparkling wine because it retains acidity well. Several producers make Metodo Classico (Champagne method) sparkling wines labeled as Etna Spumante. They are crisp, mineral-driven, and a great alternative to Blanc de Noirs Champagne.
What kind of glass should I use for Etna Rosso?
Treat it like Pinot Noir. Use a Burgundy bowl (a glass with a wide, round bowl and a tapered rim). This shape captures the delicate floral aromas (violets, dried herbs) that would get lost in a standard, narrow red wine glass.
What is Etna Rosato?
Etna Rosato is the region's rosé, made primarily from Nerello Mascalese. Unlike the pale, simple rosés of Provence, Etna Rosato is often darker in color, more structured, and savory. It drinks like a very light red wine and is robust enough to pair with grilled meats.
Is it safe to visit wineries on Mt. Etna?
Generally, yes. While Etna is one of the world's most active volcanoes, the wineries are located at safe distances from the summit craters where the explosive activity happens. However, ash fall can occasionally occur, and it is always smart to check local alerts before visiting.
Why do Etna wines taste salty?
The sensation of "saltiness" or salinity comes from the Carricante grape and the soil. The eastern slope of the volcano faces the Ionian Sea and is constantly bathed in sea spray and salty humidity. Combined with the mineral-rich volcanic ash soils, this gives the white wines a distinct savory, saline finish that makes them perfect for seafood.
What is a "Palmento"?
If you visit Etna, you will see old stone buildings called Palmentos. These are traditional, gravity-fed wineries built from volcanic rock, dating back centuries. While EU hygiene laws banned commercial winemaking in them for a time (forcing producers to build modern cellars), many are now being restored as historical tasting rooms or museums.
Are there bad vintages on Etna?
Etna is a mountain climate, not a hot Mediterranean beach climate. This means the weather is variable. While global warming has made vintages more consistent, rain during harvest (especially on the Eastern slope) can be an issue. Generally, recent vintages like 2014, 2016, and 2019 are considered benchmarks for long aging.
Jeff Patten is one of the founders of Flatiron Wines. He has been buying and selling wine, and exploring wine country, for over 20 years, and drinking and collecting it for far longer. He is WSET certified (level 2).
