CANTINE NICOSIA

“Age and glasses of wine should never be counted.”
(Unknown)

Back in 1898 Francesco Nicosia, the great-grandfather of the current owner, decided to open his first wine shop in Trecastagni, on the eastern slope of Mount Etna. This was the golden age of Etna wines, which – even then – were renowned and esteemed across Europe for their minerality and “volcanic” personality.

Towards the end of the twentieth century, however, the family came to an entrepreneurial watershed, thanks to the tenacity, courage and innovative spirit of Carmelo Nicosia, the current owner. Investing heavily in expanding and restructuring the vineyards, and building a modern winery, he helped transform the family business into one of the leading players in the renaissance of Sicilian wine in Italy and around the world.

Nicosia is a dynamic, modern and efficient company that looks towards the future, but without forgetting tradition. It is headed by Carmelo Nicosia, assisted by his sons Francesco and Graziano and a close-knit team of young people such as enologist Maria Carella, who fully interpret the company spirit.

Promoting the best winegrowing areas in Sicily while fully respecting the environment, focusing on the finest native varieties and the international cultivars that can best adapt to Sicily, promoting the best raw material by selecting the best grapes and lavishing enormous care on work in the cellar. A long and exciting path towards quality, in order to produce wines that represent the finest in Sicilian enology.

The Trecastagni winery is the place where tradition meets ultra-modern technology. Covering a nearly 27000-square-foot space, over a total area of more than 20.000 square feet, among the spacious winemaking area and testing laboratory, large stainless steel tanks and barrels, the ultra-modern bottling line and the bottle aging area and the suggestive underground barrel cellar, the winery is where the heart of the company beats.

Here, in the hospitable wine shop, visitors are welcome to sample the final result of the company’s efforts for themselves. In this veritable “refuge”, far from the frenetic pace of everyday life, standing before a majestic view of the volcano, guests at Cantine Nicosia can take part in tastings and events in which wine is always the star. Cantine Nicosia has joined the principles of sustainable viticulture to combine environmental protection and food safety. Using the most advanced techniques of precision viticulture, the winery has been able to reduce to a minimum the use of agrochemicals and fertilizers, with the aim of eliminating the presence of natural or artificial contaminants in the wine.The winery has long taken up the challenge of high quality with the aim of satisfying the demands of consumers, who are increasingly attentive to healthy eating and the traceability of every step of the production process. Therefore, Nicosia has earned official and internationally acknowledged certifications requiring the observance of a series of parameters and guidelines in company activities, work organization, production processes, relations with customers, suppliers and consumers, and environmental and food safety.

The wine and olive oil guided tour and tasting experience

Cantine Nicosia provides guided tours and unforgettable wine and food experiences

SORSI DI VULCANO

Tasting the wines of the Volcano

Time 60 minutes

Wines 3

Guided tour of the winery and visit to the underground oak barrels cellar

Guided tasting of 3 Etna wines

A tour to discover the cellar and its evocative underground barrel cellar and, to follow, a guided tasting of 3 Etna wines, equally authentic expressions, albeit different from each other, of the precious characteristics of the native vines based on the Etna DOC and the extraordinary peculiarities of our Volcanic “terroir”. Like the lava soils and the altitude that give minerality, freshness and elegance to the wines of Cantine Nicosia. Three labels to discover the different nuances that wine excellence can take on in a unique area like Etna. A territory which, by combining tradition and experimentation, has successfully interpreted the millenary vocation of Sicily for wine.

ETNA DA BERE E DA GUSTARE

Etna Wines and Food

Time 90 minutes

Wines 4

Guided tour of the winery and visit to the underground oak barrels cellar

Guided tasting of 4 Etna wines with cold cuts, cheeses and other typical local products

A tour to discover the cellar and its suggestive underground barrel cellar and, to follow, a rich and fascinating tasting itinerary of 4 Etna wines, equally authentic expressions, albeit different from each other, of the precious characteristics of the indigenous vines base of the Etna DOC, of the different types that are produced with them and the extraordinary peculiarities of our volcanic “terroir”. Like the lava soils and the altitude that give minerality, freshness and elegance to the wines of Cantine Nicosia. Four labels to discover the different nuances that wine excellence can take on in a unique area like Etna. Combined with a wide selection of cured meats, historic Sicilian cheeses and other top quality typical products.

WALKING AROUND THE VINEYARDS OF MONTE GORNA – GUIDED TOUR OF THE WINERY AND MONTE GORNA VINEYARDS WITH TASTING OF TOP WINES FROM ETNA

Time 120 minutes

Wines 5

Guided tour of the vineyard and the ancient millstone of Monte Gorna

Guided tour of the winery and visit to the underground oak barrels cellar

Guided tasting of 5 top wines from Etna

Guided tour of Monte Gorna Vineyard and its ancient Palmento. Wine tasting – 5 wines.

A selection of Sicilian salumi and cheeses and four small samples of Sicilian recipes.

A suggestive walk among the vines, the dry stone walls and the nature of the Monte Gorna district, the extinct volcanic cone on the slopes of Etna on which the most beautiful of the vineyards of Cantine Nicosia stands, from which it will be possible to admire the beauty of a territory single. After the visit to the vineyard and its ancient lava stone millstone, we will continue with the tour in the cellar and then return to wander among the rows of Monte Gorna, but this time comfortably seated with the glass in hand. We will taste 5 of the best labels of the Tenute Nicosia selections under the expert guidance of our Sommelier, in a real eno-sensorial and eno-gastronomic journey that will also include the pairing of wines with food.

To accompany the bubbles, whites and reds of Etna, a delicious selection of typical local products, such as cured meats,

historic Sicilian cheeses, Slow Food presidia and other typical products.

SICILY AT THE TABLE AND INTO THE GLASS – GUIDED TOUR, WINE TASTING AND LUNCH OR DINNER AT THE WINERY

Time 120 minutes

Wines 4

Guided tour of the winery and visit to the underground oak barrels cellar

Guided tasting of 4 wines

Lunch or Dinner at the winery with a set menu (a starter, a first course, a second course and a dessert)

A guided tour to discover the cellar and its suggestive underground barrel cellar and, to follow, a tasting of 4 representative wines of different varieties, denominations and types produced by Cantine Nicosia and a lunch or dinner at our Osteria, with a tasting menu consisting of 4 dishes, prepared starting from the best local raw material and designed to enhance the typical flavors of the ancient Sicilian culinary tradition and the labels chosen in combination by our Sommelier.

LESSON COOKING CLASS:

THE STREET FOOD MADE IN SICILY

Along the coast, in town centers and in the suburbs, is easy to find delis and chip shop in which are prepared take-away food: fried fish, potato croquettes, meatballs, vegetables in batter, rice and crispelle inevitable arancini (or arancine), the driven (buns filled with all good things) and, in Palermo, the fritters, hot and crisp sheets of chickpea flour that satisfy everyone, even the most discerning palates.

List of Local Producers:

Le Tre Castagne Dell’etna S.R.L.

https://www.letrecastagnedelletna.it/

Nutty Plus S.r.l.

https://www.nuttyplus.it/

Etna Miele

http://www.etnamiele.it/

Apicoltura F. LEONARDI di Filippo Leonardi

https://www.solmielato.it/

Cantine Nicosia

via Luigi Capuana, 65 – Trecastagni (CT) ITALIA

Telefono Cantina e Azienda: