Làvico - Nerello Mascalese Sicilia I.G.T. - Duca di Salaparuta

The House of Duca di Salaparuta was established in 1824 by Giuseppe Alliata, Duke of Salaparuta, a passionate connoisseur of good wine. He wanted to produce delicate, elegant, “French style” wines, from the grapes of his own estate located in Casteldaccia near Palermo in Sicily. The company’s first wines were born being an absolute innovation compared to the island’s production at that time. Since then the company gradually expanded by purchasing additional land, wineries and wine companies, and today constitute the largest private winery corporation in Sicily.

In 2002 Duca di Salaparuta acquired the Vajasindi Estate on the slopes of Mount Etna in the contrada Passopisciaro in the township of Castiglione di Sicilia near Catania. The Estate consists of 11 hectares of land divided into two terraces, one at about 700 metres altitude, the other at 620 metres.

The position of the winery on the northern slopes of the Volcano, contributes to a unique microclimate that makes it particularly suited to the cultivation of red grape vines. This is a complex landscape in which the volcanic soil endows with unique characteristics, the soil is dark brown and is rendered soft and porous due to the presence of a large amount of small pumice stone fragments, providing a high draining capacity. The lower summer temperatures on the northern slope lead to cooler wines and lowers their alcohol gradation, however; they also guarantee wines that are more balanced, harmonious and elegant.

The vines for the Làvico grow in the vulcanic soil on the Vajasindi estate on the northern slopes of Mount Etna on the right of the Alcantara valley at an altitude of 600 to 800 meters. The Nerello Mascalese grapes were harvested at perfect ripening and de-stemmed followed by the vinification. Traditional maceration for 7-8 days and then malolactic fermentation. The wine was matured for about 12 months in barriques of fine French oak and after bottling refinement for at least 6 months in a controlled temperature.