Graci: Crafting Burgundy-Level Elegance on Mount Etna, Sicily

Graci: Making the Case for Mount Etna as Sicily's Most Exciting Frontier

One of the leading producers of artisanal, contrada-specific wines on Mount Etna, Graci is deeply rooted in place. Its wines are defined by purity, structure, refinement, and clear vintage nuance.

The lineup at Graci. Source: Coppiera Travel Archives

Founded in 2004 by Alberto Aiello Graci, Graci has played a significant role in the modern revival of Etna viticulture. The estate helped establish new quality benchmarks for the region while demonstrating the extraordinary potential of volcanic terroirs and indigenous Sicilian varieties. At Graci, the emphasis is firmly on elegance and finesse, contributing to a broader transformation in how Sicilian wine is perceived: away from the stereotype of “big, ripe, and hot” wines and toward a style defined by altitude, minerality, precision, and restraint.

Viticulture

With 28 hectares under vine and an annual production of roughly 100,000 bottles, Graci remains relatively small in scale, though its wines are exported throughout the world.

The estate is based in Passopisciaro on the northern slope of Mount Etna, with vineyards planted between 600 and 1,000 meters above sea level. Graci farms several important contrade — including Arcuria, a dramatic natural amphitheater; Feudo di Mezzo; and Muganazzi — each located in close proximity yet expressing distinct geological identities.

The sites vary dramatically in topography. Some parcels are steep and rugged, while others are terraced into the mountainside, but all share Etna’s distinctive volcanic soils composed of basalt, iron, pumice, ash, and loose volcanic sand. Many of the vines are ungrafted because Etna’s volcanic soils naturally resist phylloxera. Several vineyards also contain remarkably old vines, some planted decades ago.

Vineyards directly adjacent to the winery. Surprisingly, they are flat!
Source: Coppiera Travel Archives

Planting densities are high, typically between 6,000 and 10,000 vines per hectare, and many vineyards are trained in the traditional alberello (bush vine) system. This ancient method naturally restricts yields while enhancing concentration and resilience.

What Is a Contrada?

Contrada is a traditional Sicilian term referring to a district or defined parcel of land — conceptually similar to a lieu-dit in Burgundy or a cru in France.

On Etna, the contrade reflect centuries-old land divisions shaped by successive volcanic eruptions. Each eruption deposited different combinations of lava, ash, pumice, basalt, gravel, and volcanic sand, creating highly distinctive soils that can vary dramatically over just a few hundred meters. Some sites consist of younger black lava flows, while others contain older, decomposed volcanic sands.

These geological differences influence water retention, drainage, vine vigor, ripening patterns, and ultimately flavor profile and structure in the resulting wines.

In 2011, the Italian government officially recognized 133 contrade within the Etna DOC, with a handful added later. Today, many of Etna’s leading estates bottle single-contrada wines separately to highlight terroir distinctions, much like producers in Burgundy or Barolo.

Each contrada tends to exhibit a recognizable personality:

• Feudo di Mezzo often produces darker, more structured and powerful wines.
• Barbabecchi tends toward lighter, more aromatic, and elegant expressions.
• Rampante is known for nervy acidity, minerality, and tension.

All of Graci’s vineyards are organically farmed and certified, with minimal chemical intervention.

Nerello Mascalese forms the backbone of the estate’s red wines and is prized for its transparency, aromatic complexity, and aging potential. Smaller plantings of Nerello Cappuccio contribute rusticity, texture, and reliability in the vineyard.

Among the white grapes, Carricante reigns supreme. As wine scholar Ian D’Agata notes in Native Wine Grapes of Italy, Carricante is “potentially one of Italy’s greatest cultivars,” capable of producing wines with extraordinary longevity and profound mineral expression when carefully farmed. Graci also cultivates Catarratto, valued for its resilience and consistency, especially important in Etna’s environment where diurnal temperature swings can exceed 40°F.

Winemaking

In the cellar, Graci follows a restrained, minimal-intervention philosophy aligned with its organic farming practices. Fermentations generally rely on native yeasts and occur in temperature-controlled concrete vats. Macerations are gentle yet extended, allowing subtle extraction while preserving vineyard expression.

The new winery at Graci. Source: Coppiera Travel Archives

Aging takes place exclusively in neutral vessels — either concrete or large, old oak casks. New oak and small barriques are intentionally avoided in order to preserve clarity and site transparency. Wines are bottled with minimal filtration and modest sulfur additions to ensure stability during international transport.

From both a cultural and market perspective, Graci is now widely regarded as one of Etna’s benchmark estates. The winery is frequently mentioned among the pioneering producers of Etna’s modern renaissance during the early 2000s, alongside figures such as Andrea Franchetti, Frank Cornelissen, and Marc de Grazia, all building upon the foundational work of earlier Etna visionaries like Benanti and Salvo Foti.

Together, these producers transformed Etna from a relatively obscure volcanic region into one of Italy’s most compelling fine wine appellations — one many observers believe could eventually achieve DOCG status.

Graci’s wines are celebrated for their purity, transparency, and nuanced expression of Etna’s volcanic landscape. The single-contrada bottlings, particularly Arcuria and Feudo di Mezzo, are widely considered cru-level wines, reflected both in their reputation and pricing. At the same time, the estate’s Etna Bianco along with its Rosso and Rosato bottlings remain among the region’s strongest values, offering remarkably clear expressions of place at more accessible price points.

Ultimately, Graci appeals most strongly to drinkers who value terroir, minerality, nuance, and vintage variation over sheer power or extraction — especially those drawn to the sensibilities of Burgundy, Barolo, or cool-climate Pinot Noir.

TASTING

Stay tuned for tasting notes!