Ancient Wine Cellar on Mascali With Slow Food Tasting

Tucked away in the scenic region of Mascali, Sicily, lies an enchanting ancient wine cellar that offers a captivating glimpse into the rich heritage of Sicilian winemaking. This exclusive tour invites visitors to embark on a three-hour journey, seeing the breathtaking vistas of Mount Etna and the dynamic culinary traditions that have shaped the local terroir. With a focus on slow food and intimate group sizes, the experience promises to reveal the hidden gems that make this corner of Sicily a true oenophile’s paradise.

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Key Points

Guided tour of an ancient wine cellar on Mount Etna in Mascali, with a Slow Food tasting experience, lasting 3 hours at €99 per person.
Tour includes scenic views, a photo stop with refreshments, and a 1.5-hour wine tasting paired with a Sicilian lunch.
The tasting features four curated Etna wines, highlighting the region’s terroir and culinary traditions.
The winery was founded in 2008 by the Turrisi family, emphasizing high-quality wines through responsible viticulture and sustainable farming practices.
The tour includes a tourist guide, a sommelier, and a selection of vintage wines paired with a typical Sicilian menu.

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Activity Overview

The activity offers a guided tour of an ancient wine cellar on Mascali, where participants can enjoy a Slow Food tasting experience.

Explore an ancient wine cellar on Mascali and indulge in a Slow Food tasting experience on this guided tour.

It lasts 3 hours and costs €99 per person. The tour is available in English, French, and Italian for groups limited to 5 people.

The venue is wheelchair accessible, and there’s a flexible cancellation policy. Guests can reserve their spot and pay later, without an upfront payment.

The experience includes scenic viewpoints, refreshments, and an extensive wine and Sicilian food tasting led by a sommelier.

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Itinerary

Starting at Via Ricca, 5 on Mount Etna, the 3-hour experience begins with a guided tour offering scenic views, lasting approximately 1 hour.

After, there’s a 30-minute photo stop with welcome refreshments.

The highlight is a 1.5-hour wine tasting and Sicilian lunch. Guests will sample four Etna wines, including a classic method brut, and enjoy a menu of cured meats, cheeses, and homemade specialties.

The tour ends back at the starting point of Via Ricca, 5, providing an immersive exploration of the ancient wine cellar and the region’s culinary delights.

Tasting Experience

Four carefully curated Etna wines await guests during the tasting experience.

The selection includes:

Etna Bianco Classic Method Brut, a sparkling white wine with notes of citrus and stone fruit.
Etna Est! DOC 2018, a dry white wine with a crisp acidity and hints of minerality.
Etna Bianco Sommitale DOC 2021, a full-bodied white wine with a complex floral aroma.

The wines are paired with a delightful Sicilian lunch featuring cured meats, cheeses, homemade jams, and a meat tartare with courgette flower.

This tasting experience offers a true taste of the region’s terroir and culinary traditions.

Wine Selection

Though the wine selection showcases four carefully curated Etna wines, the Etna Bianco Classic Method Brut stands out as a sparkling white with notes of citrus and stone fruit.

The Etna Est! DOC 2018 is a dry white wine, offering a blend of Carricante and Catarratto grapes.

The Etna Bianco Sommitale DOC 2021 is a mineral-driven, single-vineyard white.

The Etna Rosso Sommitale DOC 2021 is a robust red made from Nerello Mascalese, a signature grape of the region.

Together, these wines provide a diverse and immersive tasting experience, highlighting the unique terroir of Mount Etna.

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Cured meats, such as salted meat carpaccio, artisanal mortadella, ham in Gocce di Lava wine, and S. Angelo salami.
A selection of cheeses, including Piacentino Ennese, Vastedda del Belice, and Casacavaddu Ibleo, served with homemade jams.
A mouth-watering meat tartare with courgette flower, accompanied by bread, focaccia, grissini, and extra virgin olive oil.

These regional specialties provide the perfect complement to the exceptional Etna wines on offer, delivering a truly authentic Sicilian dining experience.

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Location and Vineyard Information

The ancient wine cellar on Mascali sits at an impressive elevation of 450 meters above sea level, offering panoramic views that stretch from the picturesque town of Taormina to the coast of Syracuse, with glimpses of the Calabrian shoreline in the distance.

The vineyard was founded by Pippo Turrisi and Pina Capizzi, with their daughter Maria Grazia now managing the operation. The focus is on high-quality wines produced through responsible viticulture, with the initial bottling of Nerello Mascalese in 2008 leading to the first production line: Classe 39.

Wine Production

Founded by Pippo Turrisi and Pina Capizzi, the vineyard’s initial bottling of Nerello Mascalese in 2008 marked the start of their first production line, Classe 39.

Managed by their daughter Maria Grazia, the focus is on producing high-quality wines through responsible viticulture.

The key aspects of their wine production include:

Utilizing traditional grape varieties native to the region
Employing sustainable farming practices to maintain the land’s natural balance
Meticulously monitoring every step of the winemaking process to ensure consistent quality.

Tour Includes

The tour includes a tourist guide for the farm and wine production visit, as well as a sommelier during the tasting.

Guests will sample a selection of vintage wines paired with a typical Sicilian menu featuring local and seasonal products.

The menu includes cured meats, mini veggie burgers, cheeses, homemade jams, and a meat tartare with courgette flower, all accompanied by bread, focaccia, grissini, and extra virgin olive oil.

The tour culminates in a return to the starting point at the Arturo Carelli Travel office, where a brief presentation of the experience takes place.

The Sum Up

The Ancient Wine Cellar on Mascali offers an immersive journey into Sicilian winemaking heritage. Guests can savor breathtaking views of Mount Etna, indulge in a Slow Food tasting of exquisite Etna wines, and enjoy a delicious Sicilian lunch. This intimate experience highlights the region’s unique terroir and culinary traditions, providing a glimpse into the rich history and flavors of Sicily.