Storia
We are islanders. As we are constantly surrounded by water, the land calls for us and draws us in.
A bond with the land that turns into the desire to cultivate vineyards, to understand the terroir of the Etna and its infinite nuances, to make wine in one of the most fascinating areas on the planet. A place located between the sky and the earth, between the sea and the mountain, where the soil meets what is underneath.
Palmento Costanzo was founded in 2010 by the Costanzo family, who wanted to get closer to the land that witnessed their growth: the slopes of Mt. Etna. The family restored an artisanal way of working and a direct understanding of nature, which are embodied by elegant and expressive wines that are authentically born from the «Muntagna», as the Etna is fondly called by its inhabitants.
The adventure began following the purchase of a handful of hectares in Contrada Santo Spirito, located in Passopisciaro, in the province of Catania, on the northern region of the Etna. A centuries-old, ungrafted vineyard, one of the few that survived the phylloxera epidemic at the beginning of the "900 which destroyed most of the vineyards in Europe. And the restoration of the ancient Palmento made from lava stone: a remarkable proof of the key role played by viticulture within Etna production.
2011
The first harvest was in 2011.
At the same time, the vineyard area was expanded, and the rows were arranged in accordance with tradition: vine training made use of the alberello technique, binding the vines to chestnut wood poles that accentuate the typical stone terraces. The vines have been selected according to the same philosophy that has guided the restoration of the Palmento: only native varieties that are historically suited to the volcanic territory. The selection has led to Nerello Mascalese and Nerello Cappuccio for the reds, while Carricante and Catarratto have been chosen for the production of white wines.
Today, Palmento Costanzo cultivates 18 hectares between Passopisciaro and Santa Maria di Licodia, located, respectively, north and southwest of the cone of Mt. Etna, the highest active volcano in Europe. The winery is led by Valeria Agosta and her daughter Serena, who is finishing her studies in Viticulture and Enology. They are aided by a young and dynamic team of local talents who aim to turn Palmento Costanzo into an oasis where wine quality directly embodies a lively and unparalleled terroir in constant evolution: a reflection of the active and dynamic «A’ Muntagna».
