VOLCANO SOUL
Pronounced: fron-teh-SHE-arah
Frontesciara 1981 was founded on Etna’s northern slope in 2010 by the Piccini family. In Sicilian dialect, sciara means lava flow: the black, jagged scars left by the volcano’s fiery breath. Frontesciara takes its name and its character from the sciara of 1981, one of Etna’s most dramatic modern eruptions. When molten rock surged from the volcano’s northern flank toward the town of Randazzo, it tore through forests, pastures and farmland, burying the past and, paradoxically, sowing the seeds of what was to come.
The estate marked the family’s move into Sicily’s unique volcanic terroir, built around three historic vineyard sites already recognized within the Etna DOC. Today, the three vineyards on that same northern slope draw life from that eruption, in soils forged by the fire, rich in minerals and porous creating complex and powerful volcanic wines.
The Vineyards
The estate three vineyards, totaling 16 ha (40 acres), sit at high elevation on Etna’s northern slope, where dramatic diurnal temperature swings naturally preserve acidity and aromatic precision. The northern exposure allows slower, and even ripening, giving full phenolic maturity without excess sugar, resulting in wines of moderate alcohol and exceptional structural balance.
The vineyards use traditional terracing to manage the steep gradients and prevent soil erosion. The terrain makes mechanization nearly impossible and all vineyard work, from pruning to harvest, is done entirely by hand.
Contrada Alboretto Chiuse del Signore has a 6 hectare (15 acre) vineyard planted to both Carricante and Nerello Mascalese at 2,130 feet. It is characterized by its ancient, black-sand lava soils, constant ventilation and sharp diurnal temperature swings.
Contrada Dafara Galluzzo has an 8 hectare (20 acres) vineyard planted to Nerello Mascalese trained in bush vines, some pre-phylloxera, on terraces at 2,460 feet. It is characterized by sandy, sub-acid volcanic soil, yielding elegant, taut, mineral driven wines.
Contrada Moscamento is a 2 hectare (5 acres) vineyard planted to Carricante at 2,300 feet. It is characterized by a natural amphitheater enclosed by lava flows, yielding wines of singular complexity: elegant, spicy and unmistakably volcanic.
Winemaker Santo Gozzo’s philosophy centers on preserving freshness and honoring the true character of each native variety, rather than standardizing across vineyards or vintages.
