mount etna

Grape Collective talks to Eduardo about this unique wine journey and the magic of making wine on Etna. 

Grape Collective talks with Ciro about the unique volcanic terroir and indigenous grapes of Etna and what the future may hold for the region.

In 2016 Guisi Murabito founded Walking Eolie & Sicily, which enables people from around the world to experience the culture of the region through guided walking tours focusing on food and wine. It is in this way she is able to share with others the "peaceful environment, divine light, immense soul, [and] authentic smells and tastes" she so loves about her homeland. 

Mario Paoluzi is the owner of I Custodi, an artisanal winery located on the northern slope of Mt. Etna in Sicily. I Custodi refers to themselves as the "keepers" or the "guardians" of Mt. Etna's vineyards. Their mission is to preserve the land and traditions of the region as well as to respect the people.

Paoluzi teamed up with well-known and highly regarded oenologist Salvo Foti to produce wines from Etna's indigenous grapes using traditional methods dating back centuries. The winery is part of a very important association of Sicilian growers and producers called "I Vigneri," which dates back 500 years but has more recently been revived by Foti as a way to pass on the skills and techniques of grape growing and winemaking from older generations. As a result, previously abandoned vineyards have been revived and there has been a renewed interest in the wines of Etna. 

Christopher Barnes: Mario, tell us a little bit about how you got into the wine business.

Mario Paoluzi: It was 2007. I was already here in Sicily, in Catania since 2001, since I moved here from Rome for a family business reason. And I had the chance to meet with Salvo Foti, who was following at the time a project called Il Cantante that...

Originally from Hong Kong, Stef Yim began his wine career working as a sommelier in fine dining establishments...

Alberto Graci grew up experiencing winemaking through his grandfather who had made wine from family vineyards in central Sicily.  He was working as an investment banker in Milan when the death of his grandfather brought him back to Sicily and to wine.

Grape Collective talks with Marco Nicolosi of Barone di Villagrande about the family's unique place in the evolution of the Etna wine region and the particular suitability of the terroir to producing elegant expressions of Etna Bianco.

Some parts of the wine world move slowly, but there are new trends and buzzwords every year. What should you be prepared to hear in the coming year? Here’s a list from A to Z.