At its 15th edition, Contrade dell’Etna represents a unmissable event within the volcano scene to date.
Everything began in 2008 when Andrea Franchetti, a real pioneer among the italian producers, has transformed a visionary idea into the most important wine exhibition of Etna. It was a true intuition, with highly convivial imprinting that aims to bring together local producers under “En Primeur” ritual already known in Bordeaux.
This last 2024 edition counted 3 years since Franchetti passed the baton to the new staff of Contrade who has taken over its organisation.
The volcano was absolutely protagonist and allowed visitors to admire a blanket of snow, unusual in that season, fallen on the summit a few days before the event.
Contrade dell’Etna has counted a good number of international attendees, 7 thousand in total of which 120 both Italian and foreign accredited wine critics and 90 producers for over 600 labels.
Il Picciolo Etna Golf Resort in Rovittello, Castiglione di Sicilia (CT), hosted the event where conferences and talk shows together with masterclasses and tastings have all taken place along the usual three days flag up.
Saturday opening began with Paolo Corazzon of 3B Meteo talking on the causes and consequences of climate change joint to the affections to both human and animal health and agriculture. Conference has been held by Fabrizio Carrera, director of Cronache di Gusto.
To follow Elvira Amata speech, Tourism Councilor at Sicily Region, who made a curated interventation with regards to the potential of wine tourism proposal.
The godmother of the event Stevie Kim took part at stage then. In Italy since more than a two decades, she’s the deus ex machina of Vinitaly International Academy founded in 2014 which give birth to a dozens of Ambassadors of Italian wine every year in the world. Stevie Kim follows the three-starred Chef of previous edition, Heinz Beck.
Saturday afternoon hosted 4 masterclasses conducted by Federico Latteri, journalist from Cronache di Gusto (who led 2 of them), Cristina Mercuri, wine educator, CEO and founder of Mercuri Wine Club and Pietro Russo, first oenologist of Italy has achieved the prestigious title awarded by the Institute of Masters of Wine.
Massimo Lentsch was included into the 4th masterclass dedicated to “Rossi di Contrada” conducted by Federico Latteri, one of the greatest connoisseurs of Etna wines, with its “Feudo di Mezzo” Etna Rosso DOC 2021.
Latteri revealed the tangible differences depending on the area of origin and geological era of lava flows, he also pointed out how many differences are in fact detectable by uncountable factors which directly impact to the expression of each single wine in the glass.
Sunday has taken shape thank to a large public presence from different areas of the region, on Monday many operators into the business from Sicily as well as from different areas of Italy and the world, all of them driven by the wanting to discover and explore the beauty and diversity of such rich wine land and fascinating context as those of volcano!
