Federico Graziani

I have devoted my life to wine, to knowing it and appreciating it, in an attempt to understand its infinite complexity. Loving a wine is like loving a person: to succeed we must strip away our prejudices, learning to understand and accept the thousand facets of its character, with the utmost honesty and all the respect it deserves. My vineyards lie on the slopes of Etna, between 600 and 1,200 metres above sea level on the northern and north-western faces. A mysterious and special place, an ecosystem unique in the world, marked by extraordinary climatic variability and a landscape rich in contrasts and in life. It is precisely by living in symbiosis with the volcano and adapting to the force and unpredictability of its elements that vines have been grown here for over 2,000 years, on small patches of land wrested from the mountain. Slow, ancient work, done by hand with effort, passion and respect. Today as then. I chose to produce in a difficult, rugged and wild area, which nevertheless boasts one of the richest winemaking traditions in Italy and in Europe. All my vineyards follow the traditional alberello (bush vine) training system typical of the Etna territory. More room for the roots, better sun exposure, greater ventilation and a geometry that makes tending and harvesting easier — still carried out largely by hand. Because a well-tended, healthy vine gives good fruit. For vineyard management I have chosen to rely on the experience of Salvo Foti and Maurizio Pagano, heirs to a tradition born in the 15th century with the Maestranza dei Vigneri, the first association of Etna winegrowers. Through the use of non-invasive methods and tools, and without pesticides or systemic treatments, we are committed to making the most of the priceless heritage our territory offers us, working with respect and without haste, in complete harmony with ourselves and with the environment.