Etna summer readings

Etna summer readings. By Lorenzo Ruggeri (INTERNATIONAL TRE BICCHIERI, July 2013). Etna, i vini del Vulcano_ Salvo Foti. Salvo Foti, agronomist, enologist and producer, today heads the Consortium I Vigneri. He is a major figure in the renaissance of Etna’s wine-growing. In his book, Etna, i vini del vulcano, he explains the value of the time-tested alberello training system, underlining the importance not only of the vines but of the traditions and knowledge passed down from father to son in the ‘north within the south’, Mount Etna. The inhabitants of the zone share a rich history in which wine has always played a key role. “Each bottle of wine is a book that must be read attentively. We should know its author, its setting and when it was written. Learning this, we can appreciate a story that is different every time and always brings us back to a territory, its varieties, and the culture of the men who produced it.” Accompany the reading of his book with Vinupetra, Foti’s memorable wine. The World of Sicilian Wine_ Bill Nesto & Frances di Savino. This work by Master of Wine Bill Nesto on the culture of Sicilian wines is unique. It was inspired by a trip to Etna in 2010. Bewitched by what he found, he and his wife Frances embarked on a full exploration of Sicilian wine, complete with meticulously documented history, a description of all the indigenous varieties on the island, its soil, the region’s enological and viticultural evolution, best wineries and most significant wines. He includes wines from as far afield as the Aeolian islands, the Val di Mazara, Val di Noto, Val Demone. A mix of culture, anthropology and more enrich the book. For Nesto, Sicilian wines “capture the vibrant light and fruit of their island home.” There is no book like this one available on the market. Thanks, Bill. MEMORIE SUI VINI SICILIANI_ Domenico Sestini. Domenico Sestini was one of the great travelers of his day, making his way from Asia Minor to the Balkans, to Germany and to many of the states along the Italian peninsula. Florentine by birth, he lived in Catania from 1774 to 1777. In this volume he presents a general treatise on Sicilian viticulture, and in particular, the viticulture of Etna. The wines from the county of Mascali were, already at the time, exported by sea, and “nigrello” (nerello) demanded a higher price than average grapes. He had a good eye and was attentive to the classification of varieties and soils.