Unlike Etna’s east side, the south side has struggled not so much with phylloxera as with urbanisation. Nicolosì, Trecastagni and Viagrande, the three towns on the south slope (see the World Atlas of Wine map of Etna), are a mere stone’s throw from Catania to the south and buildings have steadily encroached on land that was previously planted with vines. All three are partially built on sciare...
Hidden Etna Part 2 – the south and historic west
Wednesday 20 September 2017
• 7 min read
See also Hidden Etna Part 1 – the east and the associated tasting notes. For all our recent coverage of the island, see Sicily 2017 – the guide.
Become a member to continue reading
Member
$135
/year
Ideal for wine enthusiasts
- Access 287,384 wine reviews & 15,845 articles
- Access The Oxford Companion to Wine & The World Atlas of Wine
Inner Circle
$249
/year
Ideal for collectors
- Access 287,384 wine reviews & 15,845 articles
- Access The Oxford Companion to Wine & The World Atlas of Wine
- Early access to the latest wine reviews & articles, 48 hours in advance
Professional
$299
/year
For individual wine professionals
- Access 287,384 wine reviews & 15,845 articles
- Access The Oxford Companion to Wine & The World Atlas of Wine
- Early access to the latest wine reviews & articles, 48 hours in advance
- Commercial use of up to 25 wine reviews & scores for marketing
Business
$399
/year
For companies in the wine trade
- Access 287,384 wine reviews & 15,845 articles
- Access The Oxford Companion to Wine & The World Atlas of Wine
- Early access to the latest wine reviews & articles, 48 hours in advance
- Commercial use of up to 250 wine reviews & scores for marketing
More Inside information
Inside information
A pleasant surprise, showing more nuance and complexity than initially expected. Above, a view of Serralunga d’Alba.
2022 is widely...
Inside information
Brunello farmers never knew what nature would throw at them next in 2025. Yet somehow they managed, even claiming that...
Inside information
The final episode of a seven-part podcast series giving the definitive story of Jancis’s life and career so far. For...
Inside information
After extensive tasting and talking to producers up and down Burgundy’s Côte d’Or, Matthew surveys the vintage. Above, the tellingly...
More from JancisRobinson.com
Tasting articles
Quite a vertical! In London in November 2025, presented by Opus’s long-standing winemaker.
Opus One is the wine world’s seminal...
Tasting articles
Save water, drink these wines from the Deep Roots Coalition, a group of wineries who eschew irrigation. Among them is...
Tasting articles
Twenty-two reasons not to do Dry January. Among them, a Pinot Noir produced by Rippon, from their vineyards on the...
Nick on restaurants
Head to the far south of Spain for atmospheric and inexpensive hospitality. Above, the Bar Las Teresas in the old...
Free for all
De-alcoholised wine is a poor substitute for the real thing. But there are one or two palatable alternatives. A version...
Wines of the week
A breath of fresh air that’s a perfect antidote to holiday immoderation. Labelled Nasiakos [sic] Mantinia in the US. From...
Don't quote me
Jet lag, a bad cold, but somehow an awful lot of good wine was enjoyed.
This diary is a double...
Tasting articles
Pleasure – and meaning – in the glass.
In reflecting on a year of tasting, I am fascinated by what...