Tornatore

The Tornatore family has a long winemaking tradition in the area around the municipality of Castiglione di Sicilia. In fact, family production began in 1865 and already in 1910 Giuseppe, grandfather of the current owner, built a farmhouse with an adjoining millstone. The few hectares of vineyards at the time even reached an altitude of 1000 meters above sea level, an absolutely considerable height for the cultivation of grapes. Add to this a deep knowledge of the territory, since the Tornatores were also "land registry indicators" in the 1930s for the administrations of the time. A family therefore with deep roots in the territory of origin, which in subsequent generations has never neglected its attachment and respect for it and its traditions. The company lies on the northern slope of Mount Etna, the highest active volcano in Europe. The rich soils are of volcanic origin and derive from the decay of lava masses, ash and lapilli. The combination of soil, climate and knowledge of the winemakers, or rather the terroir, have made the northern side of Etna an ideal territory for the production of very high quality, but above all particular and unique wines. The agricultural activity owns 60 hectares of land, approximately 46 hectares of vineyards, 8 hectares of olive groves and 5 hectares of hazelnut groves, the rest is being reconverted; for this reason, today the Tornatore company owns the largest vineyard within the Etna Doc production area. The company's vineyards have recently been renovated in order to further improve quality standards and maintain the bond with the territory and winemaking traditions as much as possible (high planting density, strictly indigenous varietal choice). The vines present are the native Etna ones, foreseen by the production regulations for DOC Etna wines. In particular: for red grapes we have Nerello Mascalese and Nero Cappuccio, while for white grapes, splendid Carricante and Catarratto are produced.