Cultivating Etna: The Role of Dry-Stone Walls in Mountain Viticulture
Growing grapes on Etna means dealing daily with a living, complex, and rugged mountain. The slopes, volcanic soils, and altitude make standardized viticulture impossible. It is in this context that dry-stone walls become a central element of the vineyard, not only from a landscape perspective, but above all from an agronomic perspective.
Why Dry-Stone Walls Are Necessary on Etna
Most Etna vineyards develop on sloping, often steep, slopes. Dry-stone walls allow for the creation of stable terraces, enabling safe cultivation and preventing soil erosion. Without them, many areas would be uncultivable.
This is not an aesthetic choice, but a necessity linked to the morphology of the land.
Lava Stone, Water, and Soil
Dry-stone walls are built with the same lava stones that characterize the soil of the vineyards. In most cases, these stones come directly from the vineyard: they are the result of manual stone removal, necessary to make the soil arable and allow the vines to grow in a balanced manner.
The removal of excess stones has historically also given rise to the so-called turrets, known in dialect as armagie or margeri: neat piles of lava stone that dot the Etna landscape and still today tell the story of man’s patient work on the mountain.
From an agronomic perspective, this continuity between soil and construction has very concrete value. The stone walls promote the natural drainage of rainwater, preventing stagnation and allowing the roots to thrive in a balanced environment even after heavy rainfall.
In a mountainous setting like Etna, where rainfall can be sudden and abundant, this aspect is fundamental for the health of the vineyard and for respecting its natural rhythms.
A Role in the Vineyard's Microclimate
Lava rocks also have the ability to accumulate heat during the day and release it slowly at night. This helps create a more stable microclimate around the plants, mitigating the temperature fluctuations typical of Etna, especially at higher altitudes.
It’s a subtle balance, one that doesn’t impose itself on nature but rather accompanies it.
Care and Maintenance Over Time
A dry stone wall is not a “finished” element. It requires maintenance, constant attention, and timely interventions. Every crack must be corrected, every stone put back in its place. It’s a silent, often invisible, but indispensable task.
For us, maintaining the walls is part of the same philosophy we use to care for the vineyard: intervening when necessary, without forcing, respecting the structure of the site.
An Art Recognized by UNESCO
The art of dry stone walls is recognized by UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
It’s not just a construction technique, but a knowledge passed down over time, made up of precise gestures, experience, and knowledge of the territory.
On Etna, this heritage lives on in the vineyards, where the dry stone walls aren’t a reminder of the past, but an integral part of daily work and contemporary viticulture.
From vineyard to wine
Dry stone walls contribute to the conditions that allow the vine to express itself at its best. Soil stability, water management, microclimate: everything contributes to creating the balance we find in the glass.
On Etna, wine is also born here. From stones laid one by one, over time.
And it is precisely from this combination of choices, large and small, that our idea of ​​viticulture takes shape.