Palmento & Anfora

The Story: I Vigneri's Palmento & Anfora represents a deliberate return to pre-industrial winemaking on Mount Etna's northeastern slopes—where 'palmento' denotes the traditional stone pressing house, and 'anfora' signals the vessel choice that defines the wine's character.

Site & Terroir: The vineyard sits on Etna's north face at 650–750 metres elevation, where volcanic basalt and pumice soils drain aggressively and retain intense diurnal temperature swings. The high-altitude aspect ensures slow ripening and preserved acidity even in warm vintages.

Technique: Native Nerello Mascalese undergoes extended skin contact (maceration) in temperature-controlled conditions, then fermentation in large terracotta amphora—vessels that permit micro-oxidation and allow the wine to develop without oak influence. Aging occurs in the same amphora for 12+ months, creating a textural softness while maintaining mineral definition. No added sulfites at bottling; minimal intervention throughout.

Special Character: Amphora fermentation imparts a subtle salinity and textural roundness absent in stainless-steel or oak versions of the same vineyard block. The extended skin contact on native yeasts produces a wine with natural tannin integration rather than extraction.

Drinking Window: 2023–2032. Peak expression at 3–5 years from vintage.