Located on the eastern slope of Sicily, at an elevation of over 3,300 meters above sea level, Mount Etna is Europe’s highest volcano and remains constantly active, with frequent explosive eruptions and lava flows. These constant magmatic flows over the centuries have given rise to a wide variety of soils which, due to both the proximity of the sea and the varying solar exposures of the different slopes, as well as their altitude, are the source of a broad environmental and microclimatic diversity, resulting in climates ranging from subtropical to high-altitude mountainous.
Salvo Foti was born in 1962 in the city of Catania, located at the heart of this environmental complex, and has since worked in the vineyard and in winemaking. In the 1980s, he began his career as an oenologist, academic, and researcher, always at the forefront of knowledge regarding the geomorphology of Mount Etna. Ian D’Agata, one of the most significant researchers in Italian viticulture, in his book Italy’s Native Wine Grape Terroirs, has no hesitation in considering Foti “the foremost individual expert on Etna’s grapes and wines.”
In the 1990s, Foti, in collaboration with local farmers, founded the “I Vigneri” project, which today benefits from the contributions of his children: Simone Foti (born in 1994), who focuses primarily on the vineyards, and Andrea Foti (born in 1998), who is primarily responsible for winemaking and quality control. The goal has always been to produce “Human Wines,” with respect for people and the environment. All the vineyards where they work belong to the winery; they do not buy grapes nor do they rent vineyards, so as to better control the quality of the grapes.
The Foti team’s work is based on anthropological research and is therefore as traditional as possible, using only non-invasive tools and methods. All the vineyards are cultivated using the traditional Etnean Alberello system, in which the vine is supported solely by a stake made from Etna chestnut wood, allowing it to thrive in these harsh climates. This system provides the grapes with 360-degree exposure and allows them to benefit from the heat that the stones and soil absorb during the day and release at night, thus aiding in the ripening of the grapes.
The use of plastic, for example, is avoided, and even the vines are tied with organic ropes made from natural fibers. Large, heavy tractors that compact the soil are not used. For fertilizing the vineyards, manure from sheep raised naturally on the pastures of Mount Etna is used. A minimal amount of sulfur or copper is applied to the vineyards; irrigation is not practiced, and manual labor in the vineyards amounts to approximately 220 days per year per hectare. All vineyards are situated within natural ecosystems: the harmonious coexistence of oak and chestnut trees, wild aromatic plants (oregano, thyme, giant valerian), insects (bees, butterflies), and fruit trees (apple, cherry, pear, plum, and strawberry) eliminates the concept of monoculture at the expense of biodiversity.
The Palmento where the winery is located – in the Caselle district of Milo, on the eastern slope of Mount Etna – was built in 1840 and has been used for wine production since time immemorial. “The Palmento is to Etna wines what the amphora is to Georgian wines,” says Foti. The Palmento requires no electricity or other external energy to operate, relying solely on the natural force of gravity and human adroitness. It goes without saying that plastic is also banned in the winery. Some of the containers used are made of Etna lava stone, others of wood, and others of steel. In renovating the winery, only Etna lava stone and terracotta bricks—handcrafted by local workers—were used. The barrels are made of oak, acacia, and chestnut. The iron furniture is hand-forged by local artisans.
