- ITALY-

Sicily, with its high, sunny hillsides and cool seaside winds, has some wonderful surprises in store, far from the mass of unexciting wines that unfortunately characterise the island's reputation. Its most emblematic terroir, and certainly the most impressive, is that of the volcanic slopes of Mount Etna, in the north-east of the island: Davide Bentivegna, in choosing to become a winemaker, has chosen to express the different facets of a nature and a terroir of unique character.

Initially an executive in industry, Davide Bentivegna quickly changed course by returning in 2008 to his native land on the volcanic slopes of Etna with a project that includes viticulture, but also olive trees, fruit trees and agritourism. The estate - today a total of 19 hectares - has 7 hectares of vineyards spread over 7 "contrada" on the north/north-eastern slopes of the volcano, 7 "crus" with distinct characteristics, but all situated on terraces at an altitude of between 600 and 1000 metres, with a very wide temperature range between day and night: maturity and freshness draw the typical profile of wines made from the nerello mascalese, the great local red grape variety, combined with the nerello cappuccio, as well as from the white grape variety, the carricante. Respect for the environment and biodiversity, organic cultivation with only a small amount of copper and sulphur, natural vinification, this is the winemaker's philosophy in his devotion to the powerful nature of the volcano. "The austerity of the mountain, the sapidity of the sea", this is how Davide Bentivegna sums up the character of Etna's wines.