
I Vigneri di Salvo Foti Vinudilice Rosato 2020
I Vigneri di Salvo FotiGrape: Nerello Mascalese
Vintage: 2020
Type: Rose
This artisanal rosato is produced by Salvo Foti and the I Vigneri guild from high-altitude vineyards on Mount Etna. The fruit is hand-harvested from old, un-grafted bush vines managed under strict organic viticulture guidelines to preserve the delicate volcanic soils. Spontaneous fermentation relies on native vineyard wild yeasts in neutral vats without temperature adjustments or modern chemical modifications. It undergoes a natural maturation process in the cellar and is bottled unfiltered with minimal sulfur additions.
It radiates a bright, deep pink color with copper highlights, opening with fresh aromatics of wild strawberry, pomegranate, and orange zest. A light-to-medium-bodied frame is juicy and precise, balancing crunchy red fruit with a distinct volcanic mineral tension. A snappy wave of natural acidity cuts through the volume, keeping the mouthfeel thoroughly refreshed. Soft, fine-grained tannins provide an understated structural grip that shapes the dry finish nicely. It concludes clean, leaving a lingering saline trace.
I Vigneri is Salvo Foti's living argument that Etna's wine culture is older, deeper and more valuable than any modern trend. The project takes its name from an ancient guild of Sicilian vine workers and centers on old alberello vines planted on volcanic terraces at high elevation. Foti works with native varieties such as Nerello Mascalese, Nerello Cappuccio, Carricante and Minnella, using traditional methods, hand labor and minimal cellar intervention to preserve the identity of each site. The wines are not polished in the international sense; they are smoky, tensile and deeply Sicilian, carrying the memory of Etna's terraces, stone walls and generational farming knowledge.
