2020 I Vigneri (Salvo Foti) 'Vinupetra' Etna Rosso DOC

This bottle from Salvo Foti comes from the Porcaria Contrada in Castiglione di Sicilia. Vines grow at 580m asl and the wine is a blend of Nerello Mascalese 80%, Nerello Cappuccio 10%, and Granache10%. While not advertised as an old vine wine, a large part of the grapes used in this bottling are from 100+ year old vines.

'Vinupetra' would literally translate to 'rocky wine' but is a reference to the rocky volcanic soil- it is also a little play on words as it refers to the wine's fortitude and intensity.

Salvo Foti is a big name in Sicily as he's been the consulting enologist for many wineries across the island. In fact, I Vigneri is also the name of his consulting collective- you will see wines made by other producers with the I Vigneri symbol on them.

The Foti style has become a dogmatic practice of stainless steel, cement, and occasional amphora with no temperature control, no additives (save for very minimal sulfur at bottling), with biodynamic principles included (i.e. bottling according to the phases of the moon). His philosophy extends into the vineyards where he grows only organic grapes and plants his vines in the free from, native Etnean "alberello" system at a high density.