Tasting Notes
Unlike our Etna Bianco DOC, which is made up of a blend of 5 white grapes, the “Vigne Niche” selection is only Carricante. The 15-30 year old vines are planted on volcanic, extremely stony, shallow soils, very rich in sand on the north side of Etna, from 600 to 650 meters above sea level. The wine is fermented and aged in 10-hectolitre barrels whose rare complexity and structure bloom wonderfully over time. Of great longevity, they will reward your patience with a beauty of unusual nobility. Calderara Sottana has the densest, most masculine character of the white crus: an intense, long, very long, majestic wine. We believe our new Carricante plants, located in the highest part of Calderara, will complete it with added agility and fresh vigour. - Producer Note
Tenuta delle Terre Nere is the highly respected estate founded by Marco de Grazia in the early 2000s on the northern slopes of Mount Etna, Sicily—an “island within an island” marked by dramatic elevation and volcanic soils. Covering around 45–55 hectares across multiple contrade (cru sites), the vineyards sit between 600 and 1,000 meters above sea level and include pre-phylloxera vines—some over 140 years old—that infuse the wines with rare depth and nuance.
The estate specializes in Nerello Mascalese-dominant red wines—often blended with Nerello Cappuccio—as well as Carricante-based whites, all crafted to reflect the character of their individual sites. Farming is organic and site-focused, and winemaking is restrained and terroir-driven: carefully co-fermented micro-parcels, native fermentations, and judicious use of neutral oak and amphora uphold freshness and elegance without overwork.
Marco’s vision has always been guided by Burgundian principles of climats: expressing subtle variations across terroirs with grace and precision. The result is a portfolio of wines—from entry-level Etna Rosso to single-vineyard, old-vine bottlings—marked by fragrant lift, mineral tension, structural finesse, and a captivating balance of vibrancy and depth.
| Product Type | Wine White Other Varietals & Blends |
| Volume | 750ml |
| Country | Italy |
| Region | Sicily |
| Sub Region | Etna |
| Winemaking Practices | Minimal Intervention |
| Vineyard Practices | Organic/Biodynamic |