Pietradolce

I met Michele Faro last summer at his estate, and although I have visited the winery many times in the past, there always seems to be something new to admire in terms of winery equipment or art installations. What doesn’t change is the beauty and majesty of the high-elevation vineyards located just above the modern winery on a dusty path. Michele Faro farms some of the most beautiful vineyards on the volcano, with ancient, pre-phylloxera vines protected in a little amphitheater surrounded by lava rock walls.

Monica Larner, The Wine Advocate

In the Vineyard

On the Northern slope of Etna, Pietradolce extends across 20 hectares divided into the Contrade Rampante, Zottorinoto and Santo Spirito, located at an altitude between 700 and 950 meters above the sea level. In addition to these ones, on the Eastern slope, the winery owns 2 other hectares, located at 850 meters above the sea level in Contrada Caselle, near the village of Milo.

From rather stony, light, sandy loam soil with plentiful mineral elements, born wines that keep alive the soul and the liveliness of the Volcano. The different mineral composition of the volcanic soil in the several plots allows to produce peculiar wines which are loyal expression of their terroir. The winery cultivates just indigenous grape varieties, main charachters of its history: Nerello Mascalese, Nerello Cappuccio e Carricante. The vineyards are mainly pre-phylloxera vines between 90 and 130 years old, all grown through a meticolous handicraft job with the traditional bush vine system, typical of the vine landscape of Etna. The identity of the estate makes it a natural choice to put quality before quantity and to prefer only the native grapes of Mount Etna to produce remarkable wines of their territory.

The love for the land, the respect for the ecosystem as well as the deeply respect for the traditions of the Etna area represent the core of the company philosophy. The winery has always employed organic cultivation methods, without the usage of pesticides nor insecticides, and inspired to the environmental suistanability, both in the vineyard and in the cellar.

In the Winery

In the cellar the thick walls of lava stones ensured the insulation, according to an eco-friendly approach. The pre -phylloxera wines are fermented into 40 hectoliters small raw concrete tulip shaped tanks.

In the barrel room the red wines are aged in 700 liters French oak tonneaux, mostly of second, third or fourth passage. Next to the barrel room there is a special room where are collected the old vintages of the wines produced by the winery since the beginning.

Where in the World is Pietradolce?

Pietradolce is located in Solicchiata, a small village a few kilometers from the town of Castiglione di Sicilia, on the Northern slope of Mount Etna, Sicily, Italy.