VINEYARD | Only pre-phylloxera vines, ungrafted alberello and pied franc ranging from 50 to 100 years old: this is the viticultural heritage, a real treasure, on which Bianca and Carlo Ferrini count on here on "'A Muntagna". Nerello mascalese and carricante are grown at altitudes ranging between 700 and 950 metres, on the typical volcanic soils of Mt Etna, capable of carrying unique mineral suggestions in the glass. The vineyard dedicated to the carricante is a parcel of not even half a hectare and the yields of the alberellos are around 50 quintals per hectare.
PERSON | The name Carlo Ferrini certainly doesn't sound new to anyone within the world of wine. Among the most successful international wine consultants, in 2001 he decided to make his dream come true: owning his own company. He identified a small farm with six hectares between Sant'Angelo in Colle and Sant'Antimo, in the Montalcino area and, together with his daughter Bianca, he created Giodo, a tribute to Giovanna and Donatello, his parents. But besides Sangiovese, Bianca and Carlo's other great love is for Mt Etna. The Ferrinis arrived on the volcano around 2016 and acquired eight small plots in the Contrada Rampante and Contrada Pietrarizzo, just over two and a half hectares from which a red and a white are produced.
WINE | 2021 is the second vintage with which Bianca and Carlo confronted with carricante. Fermentation lasts 20 days and takes place in steel vats. At the end of this phase, the wine ages in steel with its lees for about six months; the cycle is completed by a further 10-month refinement in the bottle. The first impact is with aromatic herbs: thyme and rosemary, combined with an almost iodised breath, leading us to the Mediterranean. Elderflowers and hay, on the other hand, pave the way that guides us towards the volcano, which reverberates in the olfactory spectrum with smoky notes. But it is in the mouth that the energy is released: the sip is pressing, the acidity lends a sapid background, the finish is long and effective and returns to the aromatic herbs. All this takes place in a synthesis of extreme elegance.
