Giro 2022 Stage 4 Part 2 (Etna foothills)

Giro 2022 Stage 4 Part 2 (Etna foothills)

Soaring high above the Ionian coast, snow-capped for much of the year, Mount Etna (3323m) is the highest volcano in Europe. Rich volcanic soil, an intensely varied climate and an extremely low yield combine to make the vineyards on Mount Etna’s foothills some of the most interesting in Sicily. What’s more, the volcano is also home to some of the only vines in Europe to have survived the phylloxera epidemic of the 19th century – as the parasite could not pass through volcanic sand. The complexity of the grapes grown on Etna has encouraged many producers to age wines in stainless steel vats instead of the usual oak barriques, so that there is nothing to interfere with the natural flavours.