2019 Grottafumata “Vigna degli Architetti" Grenache Siciila IGT

Grottafumata means “smoky caves,” named for the caves formed by a nearby river that has eaten through the lava and the smoke from naturally occurring sulfur in the lava that steams up from the caves. 

This Grenache based red has small percentages of Grenache Blanc, Carricante, and Nerello Mascalese.

The Grenache comes from Biancavilla! where? it's on the South side of the Volcano, in general we don't have access to much wine from there, with Idda and Masseria Setteporte being the only US imported. But Grenache in Biancavilla?! Now I'm really falling down the rabbit hole. Biancavilla in Contrada Guardia Maio, 840m asl, 45 yr old vines. soft pressed with with 12 days skin contact in stainless steel, spontaneously fermented. 2 years in used tonneaux and barrique.

Mauro Cutuli & Mariangela Prestifilippo wine project is 4 hectares in the south of Etna, on the east and west sides, between Zafferana Etnea, Trecastagni and Biancavilla, between 500 and 840 meters above sea level. The soils are sands and volcanic rocks, as well as mixtures of clay, basalt and sand. Many of the vines are piedifranco (planted on their own rootstock) and up to 100 years old.

Certified organic and adoption of Biodynamic principles.

In the cellar the fermentations are spontaneous with limited doses of sulfur dioxide (between 20 and 30 mg/L) in stainless steel containers and then used tonneaux, with refinement in bottle at least 2 years.