Why is the harvest so late on Etna?
Recent vintages have brought various accolades to Famiglia Statella wines from Italian and international guides, competitions, and specialized publications.
From Slow Wine ratings to scores from Vinous and Robert Parker Wine Advocate—as well as Untold and James Suckling—numerous wine critics have tasted and evaluated our wines.
For us, this is an opportunity to engage with diverse perspectives and sensibilities, reflecting the variety of ways Etna wines can be interpreted.
Slow Wine: Top Wine and Best Buy for Etna Bianco 2025
The Etna Bianco 2025 has been included by Slow Wine among its Top Wines, receiving the Best Buy distinction.
This recognition highlights wines that, in addition to standing out for their quality, offer particularly strong value for money within their denomination or category.
An important recognition for our white wine, made from Carricante and Catarratto grapes and produced on the northern slopes of Mount Etna.
Vinous: up to 94 points for our wines
Vinous has also given highly positive reviews to Famiglia Statella’s latest vintages.
The Etna Bianco 2025 received 92 points, with a drinking window of 2026–2029. The review highlights its floral and fruity profile, supported by pronounced minerality and a vibrant, fresh finish.
Even higher scores were awarded to our two Cru wines:
- Etna Rosso Cru Pettinociarelle 2022 – 93 points, drinking window 2027–2032;
- Etna Rosso Cru Pignatuni Vecchie Vigne 2022 – 94 points, drinking window 2027–2034.
For Pettinociarelle, Vinous highlights its vivid red and blue fruit, lively acidity and tannic structure, while Pignatuni Vecchie Vigne is described through its spicy character, structure and silky texture.
Robert Parker Wine Advocate: 93 and 94 points for our Cru wines
The reviews published by Robert Parker Wine Advocate, written by Monica Larner, also awarded high scores to our wines.
The 2022 Etna Rosso Pettinociarelle received 93 points, while the 2022 Etna Rosso Pignatuni Vecchie Vigne received 94 points.
The review of Pignatuni is particularly detailed, describing its origin in a small 0.4-hectare parcel at 650 metres above sea level, with vines averaging around 80 years of age and a small number of pre-phylloxera vines. The review also highlights the particularly hot and dry conditions of the 2022 growing season.
The same critic awarded 93 points to the 2023 Etna Rosso, made from grapes grown in Pettinociarelle and Biancavilla, bringing together vineyards from different slopes of the volcano, and 92 points to the 2024 Etna Rosato, whose freshness and delicate character are particularly noted.
Finally, the 2025 Etna Bianco received 93 points. Monica Larner highlights its precision, freshness and elegance, as well as its ability to express the character of Etna’s native grape varieties.
Untold – Volume III: three Etna Rosso wines recognised
Important recognition also came from the Untold – Volume III guide.
The selection was based on a blind tasting of more than 1,500 wines from over 600 wineries, evaluated by 11 panels made up of industry professionals from across Italy.
Our results:
- Etna DOC Rosso Pettinociarelle 2022 — 3 Corks out of 3
- Etna DOC Rosso 2022 — 2 Corks out of 3
- Etna DOC Rosso Pignatuni 2021 — 2 Corks out of 3
The 2022 Pettinociarelle also received the award for Best Wine for Ageing in the Etna Rosso DOC category.
A particularly meaningful recognition, as it reflects the wine’s potential to evolve over time.
James Suckling: three Etna Rosso wines scoring 91 to 92 points
The reviews by James Suckling also included three of our Etna Rosso wines.
Etna Rosso Pettinociarelle 2022 — 92 points
The tasting notes highlight aromas of blueberry and boysenberry, accompanied by vanilla and cedar. On the palate, chalky tannins combine with juicy fruit and a fresh, subtly spicy finish.
Etna Rosso Contrada Pignatuni Vecchie Vigne 2021 — 92 points
A wine described through notes of blood orange, salted caramel and dried cherries. Its structure is supported by well-integrated tannins, red fruit and hints of tobacco and leather, with the review highlighting its complexity and balance.
Etna Rosso 2022 — 91 points
The aromatic profile features notes of peach leaf, Mediterranean scrub, red cherry and vanilla. On the palate, the wine shows medium body, present tannins and a finish marked by plum and dried herbs.
Etna Rosato 2024: 91 points from Vinous and a Rosa d’Oro
The Etna Rosato 2024 received 91 points from Vinous.
The tasting highlights its floral and perfumed profile, with notes of wild strawberry, spice and citrus. On the palate, pronounced freshness combines with crisp fruit and a persistent finish.
The same wine also received a Rosa d’Oro, with a score of 91/100, at the Concorso Enologico Nazionale Rosa Rosati Rosé.
Different perspectives, one path
Robert Parker Wine Advocate, Slow Wine, Vinous, Rosa Rosati Rosé, Untold and James Suckling are different publications and organisations, each with its own tasting methods, language and criteria.
For this reason, we do not see these results simply as a sequence of scores.
They are rather different readings of wines shaped by different vineyards, contrade and vintages, allowing us to look at our work from different perspectives.
For us, the most important recognition remains the ability to follow a clear direction: to pursue quality without compromise and, with every vintage, to produce the best wine possible.
And to continue letting the vineyards of Etna show us the way.