Etna: wine as an expression of place. Our three contrade
On Etna, every wine is born in a specific place. This is not a figure of speech, but the concrete reality of a viticulture that is intertwined with the identity of the territory in a unique way. Here, the districts – historical and geographical subdivisions – represent the beating heart of a denomination that is still in full evolution. They are territories delimited by lava flows from different eras, with distinct soil and climate characteristics that radically influence the organoleptic profile of the wines.
This is the true strength of Etna: a viticulture of place, in which the hand of man accompanies what nature has written in the soil and climate.
What are the contrade (districts)
The districts of Etna are not simple vineyards: they are microcosms. Areas delimited by lava flows, exposures, altitudes and soils of different origins – often stratified between them – that make each particle unique.
Over time, the DOC Etna regulations have officially recognized 142 districts, mainly on the northern side, the most suitable for the production of red wines based on Nerello Mascalese. However, the beauty of Etna also lies in what is not yet traced, but which has an unexpressed potential.
Statella family: three districts, three identities
Contrada Pettinociarelle
This is where it all started. Our first vineyard, in the municipality of Castiglione di Sicilia, at 770 meters on the northern side. A poor soil, with lava sand, little skeleton and low fertility. In summer, the heat and the permeability of the soil create drought conditions that naturally select the most resilient plants.
The result in the glass: structured, decisive red wines, with a marked mineral imprint. They are wines that speak of the mountain and tenacity.
Contrada Pignatuni
At about 660 meters above sea level, on land originating from an ancient volcano (the Ellittico), we find our Pignatuni vineyard. Here the soils are sandy but fertile, capable of retaining moisture when needed. The vines grow as saplings, some pre-phylloxera. This is our most precious cru.
In the glass: elegance, depth and a rare harmony. Pignatuni represents the perfect balance between structure and finesse.
Contrada Tartaraci
This is a gamble. It is located outside the Etna DOC regulations, on the north-west side, in the territory of Bronte. A vineyard at 1,000 meters above sea level, on fresh, sandy and well-drained soil. Here we decided to plant white grape varieties, firmly believing in the vocation of this land, still little explored.
In perspective: long-lived, mineral white wines with a very strong personality. It is a path that we are building, step by step.
Talking about contrade/districts on Etna means talking about identity, landscape, geology. For us at Famiglia Statella it also means telling our way of making wine: respectful, aware, rooted in the territory.
Every bottle comes from a specific place. And inside, there is the character of that place.
Talking about districts on Etna means telling the profound identity of this territory: a mosaic of soils, altitudes and microclimates that gives rise to wines of great character.
For us at Famiglia Statella, cultivating these lands means safeguarding their uniqueness and returning it in the bottle, with precision and respect.