Fischetti Winery

The wine industry in Sicily has been going through a period of rapid change over the past twenty years. The popularity and prestige of Sicilian wine is rapidly on the rise.

One of the best experiences in Sicily is wine tasting in a winery on the slopes of Mount Etna.

Nestled on the North-Eastern side of Mount Etna you will find the small family run Fischetti Winery.

Dating back to the early 800’s the winery is an ancient millstone at the foot of Mount Etna in the district of Moscamento at Castiglione di Sicilia which has undergone a patient restructuring and recovery by the Fischetti family, whose aim was to restore the old charm with a modern feel.

The enclosed estate is situated around 650 metres above sea level and was built entirely on lava stone.

The traditional sapling plantation allows exclusive manual workmanship throughout the year.

The vineyard is composed exclusively by indigenous vines of Mount Etna, the vines are on average 80 years old and have numerous ultra-centennial characteristics of the pre-phylloxera period, these are the roots for the Etna DOC production (high quality wines). The Fischetti family strives to represent the taste and the quality derived from one of the most beautiful territories in the world, which is a worldwide UNESCO heritage site since 2013.

The families mission is to extract the best of what nature offers, and having an important experience in the field of Etna DOC, their aim is to offer you something to remember and not just a mere momentary pleasure, but rather an authentic and proper fragment from a remarkable volcano.

After our adventure to Mount Etna by jeep with Simona of Tripping Sicily and Lorenzo from Etnafinder (see my previous Blog post) we continued our day visiting this beautiful winery. We drove to the Fischetti Winery crossing the big lava flow of the most recent significant eruption of Mount Etna in 2002 towards Castiglione di Sicilia.

Entrance is gained to the estate through an impressive electric gate where we were greeted by the owner Michela.

The millstone in front of us was beautiful and looked like it had been plucked from a fairy tale. We walked up a picturesque pathway which was lined with fragrant lavender bushes.

Our tour began with a walk around the vineyard with Michela, it was October and harvesting of the grapes (vendimia) had just been completed. The vine leaves had a beautiful rusty orange and red hue to them and we were watched by the ever-present Mount Etna which we had just climbed.

Aside from the grape vines there are many fruit trees such as apple and peaches even a kiwi fruit tree and there are many wild herbs growing everywhere including oregano, mint and fennel. The winery is also cloaked in ancient olive trees.

After our tour we headed back to the millstone building where in the gardens our dog Daisy met Michela’s two beautiful kittens who hastily climbed a tree to observe Daisy from a higher level.

The winery has a lovely garden area which had trees laden with pomegranate ready for picking.

Inside the millstone we saw where the wine is produced and stored in metal vats and French oak wooden barrels. Michela explained that they only produce up to 8000 bottles each year.

We went through into the tasting area which was small and intimate with just a few tables. In this area we could see the original wine press that would have been used many years before. Michela explained that this was an ancient structure and took us up some steps to a space where the grapes would be passed through a window then crushed underneath by foot. In the corner there were holes in the stone floor where the grape juice would run down a channel ready for production. These days wine at the winery is produced in a more modern technological method.

The tasting area has been lovingly renovated in a modern rustic décor with a touch of Sicilian ceramics and artwork and the tables are beautifully dressed with linen table cloths, shiny cutlery and glasses and charger plates from Caltagirone, the city of ceramics. On the plates were linen napkins tied with a chiffon ribbon with a sprig of lavender from the garden.

The round table we were to be seated at was the original wooden wine press.

Michela explained that we were going to enjoy tastings of the three Muscamento estate wines, a white, a rosé and finally a red all of which are part of the Etna DOC. We would also be sampling local produce chosen specifically to complement each wine.

The first wine we tasted was the Musamento Etna Bianco DOC.

There is six months of aging for this Etna white which gives it a straw yellow colour with a floral and fruity taste with mineral notes, it is balanced, fresh, quite soft and persistent and is enjoyed with seafood and medium aged cheeses. With this wine we enjoyed local cheeses, provolone, pecorino, parmesan and ricotta with marinated Sicilian olives and honey from Nero D’Ape. Perfecto.

Our next wine was Muscamento Etna Rosato DOC.

After three months of aging in French oak barrels, the Etna rosé has a pale pink colour and is floral, fruity and spicy, fresh and persistent. It can be enjoyed as an aperitif and with fish and cheeses. With this wine we enjoyed fresh bright red Sicilian cherry tomatoes.

Next, we were served a dish of Salsiccia (Sicilian sausage with fennel seeds, my favourite) and Involtini which are rolled slices of meat with a cheese filling. This was to be enjoyed with our next wine.

The Musamento Etna Rosso DOC.

Aging in French oak barrels gives this Etna red a ruby colour, it is fruity with spicy sweet tones, balanced, fresh, soft, tannic and persistent and is excellent enjoyed with meat or cheeses.

All three wines were delicious, my personal favourite being the Etna white.

After our tasting Michela brought over some raw honeycomb which she cut into small chunks for us to taste. For me it was the first time I had tried honey this way and the taste of the pure natural nectar was out of this world. The honey was from a local producer Nero D’Ape.

Nero D’Ape is the Sicilian black bee which the producer has used as their company name. They only produce 5000 kilos of honey per year and solely produce citrus blossom honey, chestnut honey, multifloral honey and honeydew honey. The honey that we tasted earlier with our cheeses was Millefiori (one thousand flowers) honey and the taste was absolutely scrumptious. The producers have listened to what the Sicilian black bees were asking for, providing a natural dwelling and the freedom to feed from the flowers of Mount Etna. Each production undergoes analysis by a specialised laboratory.

After our honey tasting we enjoyed an espresso before saying our farewells to Michela and the Fischetti winery.

If you would like a tranquil, intimate and chic wine tasting experience Fischetti Winery is the place for you. It is also an ideal venue for special occasions and the perfect location for a small wedding.

Fischetti Winery is approximately a 45 minute drive from Taormina passing through the stunning Alcantara Valley.

I would like to say a BIG thank you to Michela Luca for being the perfect host, also to Simona Ferro at Tripping Sicily for the invitation.

Links:

www.fischettiwine.it

www.nerodape.com

www.trippingsicily.com

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