Winery Murgo
Santa Venerina, Sicily
The Scammacca del Murgo family estate lies on Etna's eastern slope, in Santa Venerina, among vineyards sloping down to within a few kilometres of the Ionian Sea. It was among the first estates to bottle Etna DOC red, white and rosé from Nerello Mascalese, Nerello Cappuccio and Carricante grapes, and to experiment with classic-method sparkling wine starting from white-vinified Nerello Mascalese. The visit takes in a walk through the vineyards and the historic winery, with tastings telling the story of volcanic farming on this side of Etna. The estate is today also a farm-stay, a starting point for exploring the area's lava terraces.