Descended from crusading ‘Hospitaller’ knights (Knights of St.John, of Malta) who settled on Sicily during the 13th century, the famiglia Spitaleri of Muglia (EN) can claim to be the first wine merchants of the medieval age, once Islamic prohibition had ceased. They then flourished during the italian Rinascimento.
But in 1852 it was Barone Felice Spitaleri who took the initiative on returning from a ‘Grand Tour’ of France, & deciding in 1855 to plant 300ha on Monte Etna – the feud – to Bordeaux varieties (& Pinot Nero!); ironically the year of Bordeaux’s Classed Growth Classification. Spitaleri commissioned Padre Francesco Tornabene to plant the vineyards, while the design of the imposing Castello di Solicchiata was entrusted to Andrea Scala, architect of Catania’s Bellini teatro.
The vineyards lie on an ancient 1107 lava flow – mineral rich, nutrient poor – facing SW at between 800m – 1400m asl.
The subsequent wines received a Grand Honour diploma at the 1888 London Exhibition, followed by Gold Medals in Palermo (1889), Vienna (1890), Berlin (1892), Brussels (1893), & Milano (1894). The Savoia Royal House of Italia appointed the cantina an official supplier, hence their coat of arms on the label of Castello Solicchiata.
Skip forward to 1997 when the then latest generation of Spitaleri, Barone Arnaldo, along with his enologist fratello Felice, employed the service of legendary consultant Giacomo Tachis to relaunch their wines to the market.
Tenute di Nuna is to be found in the village of Sant’Alfio, just outside the key Versante Est town of Milo, where Maria Novella (‘Nuna’) Trantino & Fabio Percolla from Catania bought first a 5ha parcel of land in 2006, planting it in rows/spalliera to Carricante for Etna Bianco in 2010. Their first harvest & bottling being in 2015. In 2017 they then bought a second, smaller plot of 1ha in the comune of Milo with which to produce their first Etna Bianco Superiore in 2020 from higher density/smaller space of alberello vines, located in the heart of the lava flow, on a bed of lapilli/ash pebbles. Hence the name of the property: Tenute di Nuna.
The vines lie at c.880m asl, on a 1971 lava flow, overlooking the Mediterranean Sea, but with Mte. Etna looming up above the property. While the couple restructure the property, since 2018 the wines have been made close to the vineyards in the comune of Trecastagni, with the help of a young Sicilian winemaker Benedetto Alessandro, of Camporeale. Cultivation of the vines is organic.
High up in the comune of Milo, THE cru of the Versante est for whites with strong marine influence; the capital of Carricante, you could say. Nuna is the nickname for Novella whose mother had bought the property in Sant’Alfio, now under renovation – the sala di degustazione with sea views is covered in coccio pesto the incredibly long lasting cement used by the Romans to build aquaducts and sewers in Rome and also used to construct the local palmenti.
Beautiful views over to the sea, and a crisp breeze which brought rain which falls so typically here (nb find a map showing the funnel). Despite the high rainfall, the wines stay concentrated due to the free draining volcanic soils. Interestingly Fabio said there is a climate change especially in rainfall, with much less in September and October. A huge grey rocky lava flow separates their vineyards in Sant’Alfio, planted in rows/spalliera where they make their Etna Bianco DOC, while just on the other side they purchased their 1ha in the comune of Milo proper where the wine can be called Etna Bianco Superiore. We were served a charming array of Sicilian delizie, inc. candied orange peel and almond biscotti, and Fabio was happy to open other vintages for us, but we couldn’t taste from tank.
They make only two white wines but are considering making some sparkling. As for reds, Fabio believes that Milo & environs are not suited to Nerello Mascalese which would struggle to ripen.
Better known for the quality of his family’s oranges & olive oil, an activity founded by his father ‘Don Peppino’, Roberto Tindaro Abbate of Motta Camastra near Taormina, turned to tending the vine in 2012, thanks to inheriting a 1 hectare parcel in the Castiglione di Sicilia contrada of Feudo di Mezzo located in the prized versante nord village of Passopisciaro, at 650m asl. What’s more, the parcel is mainly made up of 80 year-old Nerello Mascalese & Cappuccio, making only c.1500 bts of Etna Rosso, but he also makes a few bts of Etna Bianco from Minella Bianco, & Grecanico vines dotted round the vineyard, while the Carricante comes from Fleri near Zafferana on the versante Est. In piu, he also makes a few bts. of Etna Rosato!
Yet Roberto’s passion for the vine is in part thanks to his much older fratello Enzo, who got to know the Barolista Giuseppe Rinaldi when working in Cuneo back in 1975 (when Roberto had but two years old!). This passion was saited when Roberto began making some wine in 2005 for family & friends.
Indeed he maintains: “il miglior abbinamento ad un vino è la persone con cui lo condividi.” (“the perfect match for wine is the person with whom you share it.” Roberto Abbate)
Vinification currently takes place just down the road in Passopisciaro, at the cantina of his friend Giuseppe (Girolamo) Russo, who suggested that Roberto take his hobby more seriously.
Wines are expressive, artigianale & not overstated, wild yeast fermented, hand-punched down (il Rosso) in small mastelli/tubs, ambient temperature ferments (even for il bianco) & would appeal to Burgundy lovers. Roberto seems to be a perfectionist, both in terms of presentation – taking time to decide on the label which incorporates Dante’s Inferno & Etna’s vine roots – & in the way he appraoches both vineyard management & wine making.
He concludes: “Il vino è condivisione e dentro ad ogni calice troveremo sempre una storia da raccontare, e questa è la mia.” (Wine is about sharing, & in each glass we will find a story to tell, & this is mine.” (Roberto Abbate)