A taste of Etna’s legacy: Volcanic wines at Barone di Villagrande

Nestled on the eastern slopes of Mount Etna, where ancient vines cling to volcanic soil and clouds dance with smoke from the crater above, you will find one of the oldest vineyards in the volcanic area of Sicily - Barone di Villagrande.

The laid back arrival at Barone di Villagrande

This historic winery is a family-run estate with centuries of winemaking tradition. The vineyard was officially founded in 1727 when the current owner’s ancestor, Don Carmelo Nicolosi was given the title of Baron of Villagrande. The vineyards have been cultivated by the same family ever since.

After arriving through the winding roads up the mountain, ash piled up where it has floated down from the famous volcano above, the views at Barone di Villagrande take your breath away. You can see the Ionian Sea shimmering in the distance, framed by the dark, fertile slopes of Etna. The vineyards cascade down the hillsides, orderly yet wild.

Acres of vines

There are two options to taste wine here and in typical Sicilian style, neither of them are fast!

You can indulge in a full four-course lunch with your tastings, or as we did, opt for finger foods to match the wines.

Both are guided tastings starting with a visit to the ancient cellars on the estate and include the opportunity to try the dishes of the Etnean kitchen paired with the wines. Menus are entirely seasonal, but they do cater to dietaries.

Tasty morsels

Our host, charming and unhurried, began the tasting with a full glass of the Salina Bianco and left us to enjoy it. We sipped slowly, enjoying sitting in the warm outdoors and the light breeze on a hot summer day.

The wines that followed were the Etna Bianco (my favourite), the Etna Rosso, made from Nerello Mascalese. Pale garnet in color, it looked almost too delicate for its earthy aroma.

Enjoying the Etna Bianco

The finish we had a sweet wine, the Malvasia which matched our snacks perfectly.

All in all we spent at least two hours enjoying one of the oldest vineyards on an active (very active) volcano. We spent a little time in the shop on our way out, buying a couple of bottles of the Etna Bianco and some olive oil to enjoy on our travels.

Little pieces of history everywhere

Barone di Villagrande isn’t just a winery. It’s a quiet slice of paradise where history and love of good food and wine come together. It’s worth a visit.

If you wanted to linger a little longer, you can right here on the estate – there is even and outdoor pool overlooking the mountain vines.