Al-Cantara 'O'Scuru O'Scuru', Etna, Sicily

Perfumed aromas of ripe forest fruits are enveloped by hints of spice and vanilla, silky, warm and elegant on the palate.

Producer Note

From the slopes of Mount Etna, one of the most distinctive and coveted wine regions in Europe, Al Cantara’s wines reflect the soul of the people and the land. Al-Cantàra takes its name from the river which flows through the municipality of Randazzo where the winery and the vineyards are located. The 15 hectare vineyard is located at 620 metres above sea level. All the operations related to the vineyard are carried out with total respect for the environment. Al Cantàra also means ‘bridge’ in Arabic which emphasises the link with the Sicilian terroir and symbolises the union between wine, art and poetry. Owner Pucci Giuffrida is a devotee of fine poetry and for this reason all of the names of the wines are inspired by the poems by Sicilian authors.

Vineyard

The grapes come from a single vineyard of 50 to 60 year old vines known as 'Vigna Vecchia Contrada Feudo S. Anastasia'. It is situated at an elevation of approximately 620 metres above sea level, where warm days and cool nights encourage a long ripening period concentrating the flavours in the grapes while retaining balancing acidity. The vines are grown in volcanic soils, which are rich in minerals and fossils. The soil is permeable to air and water and is rich in pumice stone and microelements, which allow the plants to produce a complex aromatic profile. The vines are bush trained as per the traditional method. The old vines are cultivated following organic and biodynamic principles and the vineyard is in conversion to organic status. The organic treatments of sulphur and copper treatments are only used when powdery or downy mildew seriously affect the vineyard. The vine moth is combatted by the use of natural pheromones, which generates confusion in the moth and prevents it from attacking the fruit.

Winemaking

The grapes were manually harvested in small baskets and immediately de-stemmed and pressed. The crushed grapes were fermented on the skins at temperatures of 26 to 28°C. The wine underwent post fermentation maceration on the skins for one week, extracting colour and structure from the skins and pips. The wine was transferred to 500 litre oak tonneaux where malolactic fermentation took place, and it matured for 12 months on the fine lees. The wine was then aged for a further year in stainless steel tanks.

Tasting Note

Vibrant aromas of ripe forest fruits are enveloped by hints of spice and vanilla. Silky smooth and warming on the palate with ripe fruit through to a persistent finish.

Grape

Nerello Mascalese 100%