Vivera Salisire Etna Bianco 2016
Winemaker Notes
In 2019 Loredana Vivera took over the family winery in the Martinella district ("Cru Martinella") of Mount Etna, on the north-eastern side of the volcano. She realized her dream to bring in the winery and in her wines the Sicilian culture together with the beauty of Sicilian nature and the majesty of the volcano.
The estate has 50 hectares of vineyards and olive groves divided between three properties. 15 hectares in Martinella at 550-600 meters above sea level are planted to native grape varieties of Nerello Mascalese, Nerello Cappuccio and Carricante, all organically grown. Etna’s mountain climate with large temperature differences between day and night, along with its volcanic soil, assist Loredana Vivera in creating her unique and elegant Etna wines.
The other wines include grapes sourced from the other property in Corleone, 27 hectares planted to both international varietals (Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and Chardonnay) and local varietals such as Nero d’Avola, Catarratto and Insolia. A third property in Chiaramonte Gulfi near Ragusa is dedicated solely to the production of extra-virgin olive oil.
100% Certified Organic
A large, geographically and climatically diverse island, just off the toe of Italy, Sicily has long been recognized for its fortified Marsala wines. But it is also a wonderful source of diverse, high quality red and white wines. Steadily increasing in popularity over the past few decades, Italy’s fourth largest wine-producing region is finally receiving the accolades it deserves and shining in today's global market.
Though most think of the climate here as simply hot and dry, variations on this sun-drenched island range from cool Mediterranean along the coastlines to more extreme in its inland zones. Of particular note are the various microclimates of Europe's largest volcano, Mount Etna, where vineyards grow on drastically steep hillsides and varying aspects to the Ionian Sea. The more noteworthy red and white Sicilian wines that come from the volcanic soils of Mount Etna include Nerello Mascalese and Nerello Cappuccio (reds) and Carricante (whites). All share a racy streak of minerality and, at their best, bear resemblance to their respective red and white Burgundies.
Nero d’Avola is the most widely planted red variety, and is great either as single varietal bottling or in blends with other indigenous varieties or even with international ones. For example, Nero d'Avola is blended with the lighter and floral, Frappato grape, to create the elegant, Cerasuolo di Vittoria, one of the more traditional and respected Sicilian wines of the island.
Grillo and Inzolia, the grapes of Marsala, are also used to produce aromatic, crisp dry Sicilian white. Pantelleria, a subtropical island belonging to the province of Sicily, specializes in Moscato di Pantelleria, made from the variety locally known as Zibibbo.
Carricante has grown on the slopes of Sicily’s Mt. Etna for the last thousand years. It is the dominant grape in Etna Bianco DOC blends, with Catarratto as a possible minor blending partner. The best examples come from volcanic soils at higher altitudes where a large diurnal temperature shift allows slow and steady ripening and the development of Carricante’s naturally high acidity. Somm Secret—A vine variety capable of high yields if not tended to properly, Carricante gets its name from, carica, the Italian word for “load.”