As unlikely as it seems, Mount Etna is an up-and-coming wine region in Italy. Around its perimeter, vines cover the lower the slopes of the volcano, creating one of the most unexpected wine regions in Europe.
The hilly slopes, the black lava soil, the regular dusting of volcanic ash, and the threat of a major eruption are just a few of the challenges these vineyards face. All of these elements combine together to create wines like nothing we’ve tasted before.
In recent years, we have become quite the wine aficionados. We’ve traveled to Australia, New Zealand, Chile, Argentina, South Africa, and throughout Europe, tasting and collecting wines.
The wines from the Etna wine region have an unusual taste, partly from the characteristics the grapes absorb from the lava soil and the somewhat frequent “fertilization” with volcanic ash. We very much enjoyed our time here, but I can’t say that Mount Etna wine is something we fell in love with.
Even so, if you are a wine enthusiast, or simply love the idea of visiting a vineyard and sipping some wine, a visit to the Mount Etna wine region is absolutely worth the visit. This is a very unique wine region to visit.
How often can you say that you’ve enjoyed a glass of wine that came from the slopes of Mount Etna?
In this guide, we will cover:
- The best wineries to visit in the Etna wine region
- A sample 2-day itinerary that takes you to the top wineries in the region
- Interesting facts about this wine region
- Where to stay
Mount Etna Wineries
We spent two days in the Etna wine region. During these two days, we visited six wineries, either taking a tour, doing a tasting, or sitting down to lunch plus a wine tasting.
Prior to our trip, Tim put a lot of research into the best Mount Etna wineries to visit. He picked wineries from throughout the region (the region circles around the base of Mount Etna and the wines from the south are different from the wines in the north) so we could sample a little bit of everything.
As we move through this list, I’ll let you know what makes each place special and what you need to know to visit that winery. At the end of this list, we provide a sample two day Mount Etna wine region itinerary and advice on where to stay.
How to Use This Map: Click the tab in the top left corner of the map to see a list of the points of interest and to turn layers on/off. Click the icons on the map to get more information about each point of interest.
To take this map with you, click the star next to the title of the map which adds it to your Google account. Next, within your Google Maps app, select ‘Saved’ and then select ‘Maps’. This map title will now appear in your list.
1. Planeta Sciaranuova
WHY VISIT PLANETA: Planeta is one of the most famous Mount Etna wineries, as it was a filming site for the HBO White Lotus series. Due to its popularity, many wine tours include Planeta, making it easy to visit if you will be in Taormina or Catania and don’t have plans to rent a car.
Planeta Sciaranuova, or simply Planeta, is one of the most popular Etna wineries. It was one of the filming sites for the HBO White Lotus series, and in the show, the two couples do a wine tasting at Planeta’s outdoor patio.
Now, visitors are drawn here to sit in the very same spot. Planeta even offers a White Lotus Tour, where you can sit at the same table and do a wine tasting.
We signed up for the Flavours of the Volcano tour, which includes tastings from their wines produced in the Etna wine region (Planeta also produces wine in vineyards through Sicily…Sciaranuova is the name of their Etna winery) paired with bread, cheeses and olive oil.
The tour starts off with a quick walk through the vineyard, which is beautiful, and ends with the tasting. It takes an hour and a half. If you upgrade to the Grand Tour, lunch is included.
Planeta Sciaranuova is located on the north slopes of Mount Etna. Learn more about this vineyard and make your tour reservation on the official website.
2. Tenuta di Fessina
WHY VISIT TENUTA DI FESSINA: To visit a small, boutique winery with the option to add on a food pairing, which is excellent. For wine enthusiasts and foodies, this is one of the best wineries on this list.
Tenuta di Fessina is a small winery located a short drive from Planeta, so it is also on the northern slopes of Mount Etna.
This winery has a gorgeous setting. With its old, stone buildings, the winery is beautiful, but the views of rolling hills and surrounding wine country are extraordinary.
Tenuta di Fessina offers several different wine tastings, ranging from a combination of small plates with several wines to a wine tasting plus food pairing.
We opted for the Grand Cru tour, which is a tasting of their oldest and best wines, paired with a four-course meal. We dined on zucchini carpaccio, Pasta alla Norma, and veal ribs, all organic and locally sourced. The food here was better than what we had at Planeta and since this is a much smaller vineyard, almost had the place to ourselves.
During our tour, we visited their cellar, which was filled with French oak barrels and the lovely smell of wine. Overlooking the vineyard, our guide pointed out the locations of the most recent lava flows (that’s not something you see on a typical wine tour!).
3. Cottanera
WHY VISIT COTTANERA: To taste some of the region’s best wines in a lovely, laid-back setting.
This was my favorite experience in the Etna wine region. We had a wonderful, laid-back wine tasting, tasting what would end up being our favorite wines of the entire region.
When we visit wine regions now, we ship home some wine. After our trip, we can enjoy these wonderful treasures, reminiscing about our time in Sicily, Rioja, south Australia…you get the idea.
Tim and I had a very hard time finding wine in the Etna region that we liked enough to ship home. The Mount Etna wines have a lot more salinity and acidity than other Sicilian or Italian wines, and a bit of chalkiness, which is something we weren’t fans of. However, we really liked the wines at Cottanera and this was the only Mount Etna wine we shipped home.
Cottanera offers a wide range of tours and tastings, some lasting up to 3 hours.
We opted for the Etna and Its Colours experience, which includes a walk through the vineyard, a brief history of the vineyard, plus a tasting of three wines paired with fresh bread and olive oil.
We were the only ones on this tour, and it turned into a wonderful 2-hour experience, talking with our sommelier, who is from Australia. Prior to our tour, Tim spoke to the winery about tasting some of their older vintages, and these were the highlights.
The wonderful wine, the beautiful estate, and the laid-back experience makes this one of our favorites overall in the Mount Etna wine region. They also run a small hotel which gets excellent reviews. I wish we had stayed here rather than Villa Neri, but we’ll get to that in a little bit.
Cottanera is located on the north slopes of Mount Etna. Learn more about their tours and tastings on the official website.
4. Gambino Vini
WHY VISIT GAMBINO VINI: Since this is one of the larger wineries that caters to groups, this is easy to get to on a tour, perfect for those who don’t plan to rent a car. The view from the winery is one of the best in the Mount Etna wine region. And definitely try their flavored salts.
This is the largest vineyard we visited in the Etna wine region. Gambino Vini caters to large group tours (we were told they were expecting over 300 visitors throughout the afternoon…much different than the other vineyards on this list, which get a handful of visitors to less than 100 per day).
The setting is phenomenal. The vineyard sits 850 meters above sea level. From the property you get panoramic views over the northern slopes of Mount Etna. It is the best view we had from any vineyard we visited.
Once inside, it’s immediately apparent that this vineyard caters to large groups. The dining room is enormous and filled with perfectly decorated tables, awaiting the day’s tour groups. However, from the floor to ceiling windows, visitors get to enjoy that amazing panoramic view over the vineyard.
We opted to skip a full tour and just do a tasting here. We did the Only Wine Tasting, which included four wines paired with bread and cheese. Our sommelier, despite hopping from table to table, was still very attentive and engaging.
The wines were nice, the cheese was very good, and the highlight for us was the salt flavored with rosemary and other herbs, that when sprinkled on olive oil, is a flavor bomb in your mouth. We didn’t leave with any wine, but we did come home with a bunch of these containers of flavored salt.
5. Monaci delle Terre Nere
WHY VISIT MONACI DELLE TERRE NERE: To have lunch or dinner in a Michelin-starred restaurant, pairing it with a wine tasting. This is a great option for those who want to spend a night or two in a historic villa in the Etna wine region.
Monaci delle Terre Nere, which translates to Monks of the Black Lands, is a villa and estate that dates back to the 1700s. They produce wines under the label Guido Coffa, but a visit here is more about experiencing the villa and the estate.
This is a beautiful property. It is located near Zafferana Etnea, on the eastern slopes of Mount Etna.
Onsite is the villa, complete with an outdoor pool, manicured gardens, a state-of-the-art wine cellar, plus Locanda Nerello, a Michelin-star rated restaurant. This would make a great place to stay while visiting the Etna wine region.
We opted for lunch at Locanda Nerello, while tasting a few of their wines during the meal. Everything was delicious and going for a stroll around the property after lunch was another highlight on a visit here.
They also have a very cool bar onsite, the Convivium Bar, with the option to take a cocktail class. We still had another winery to visit, so we skipped the bar, but if you choose to stay at this resort, this looks like a great place to hang out in the evenings.
Learn more about the estate and winery on the official website.
Convivium Bar
6. Benanti
WHY VISIT BENANTI: If you only plan to visit one Mount Etna winery, this is the winner. With its educational wine tasting, delicious food pairings, views of Mount Etna, and convenient location on the southeastern slopes of Mount Etna, this winery is easy to get to, beautiful to visit, plus you’ll learn a lot about this region on their tours and tastings.
We had an overall fantastic experience at this winery. The setting, the history, and the very informative wine tasting made this one of our top experiences in the Etna wine region.
Benanti is located on the southeastern slopes of Mount Etna. It is another beautiful property. Off in the distance is the steaming summit of Mount Etna. The vines climb up the hillsides and surround the buildings of this estate, which also includes a small boutique hotel with outdoor pool.
We signed up for the Selezione Benanti Experience, a guided tasting of five wines paired with small snacks created by a Michelin-star chef.
Of all the tours we took, we learned the most about Mount Etna wines and what makes them special, from our brilliant sommelier. The food pairings were amazing and quite filling, so if you sign up for this tour, come hungry. Following the wine tasting, we were led on a short tour through the winery and vineyards, with sunset views of Mount Etna.
Learn more about Benanti and make your tour or tasting reservation on their website.
A Few More Mount Etna Wineries
We only had time to visit a few wineries. Here are a few more that came up in Tim’s research.
Antichi Vinai 1877. This was high on our list, but we couldn’t work it into our schedule. The views overlooking the vineyard from their tasting room look amazing. The are located on the north slopes of Etna, near Planeta.
Cantine Palmento Costanzo – Vini Etna DOC. Also on the northern slopes of Etna, almost within walking distance of Antichi Vinai 1877, this is another winery with spectacular views and a variety of tasting experiences.
Pietradolce. This is a small winery on the north slopes of Mount Etna. Featuring modern architecture and more great views, it would pair well with Antichi Vinai 1877 or Cantine Palmento Costanzo, or one of the other wineries on the north slopes, mentioned earlier in this guide.
2 Day Etna Wine Region Itinerary
This was our itinerary. You can follow it as it is written or you can modify it, if you have more or less time.
Day 1: North Etna Wine Region
11:00 am to 1:15 pm: Planeta Sciaranuova. We did the Flavours of the Volcano tour with wine tasting. When we did this, it ran until 1:30 pm but we left 15 minutes early to get to the next winery. If you opt to do the Grand Tour, which includes lunch, you will have time for one winery in the afternoon.
1:30 pm to 3:30 pm: Tenuta di Fessina. We recommend the Tasting 3 Etna DOC Wines experience. We upgraded to the Grand Cru, but that took longer and included a full meal.
4:00 pm to 5:30 pm: Cottanera. We recommend the Etna and Its Colours Tour. It is listed as a 3-hour tour on their website but it only lasted 2 hours when we did it (but we were the only ones on the tour).
Day 2: North & East Etna Wine Region
Each of these experiences include quite a bit to eat, so consider skipping breakfast and saving your calories for the wine and decadent food.
11:00 am to 12:30 pm: Gambino Vini. We did the Only Wine Tasting experience, which includes 4 wine tastings paired with bread and cheese.
1:00 to 1:50 pm: ORO d’Etna – Farm Costa. As you drive from Gambino Vini, you have the option to do a honey tasting in Zafferana Etnea. Or, skip it and have an earlier lunch.
2:00 to 3:45 pm: Lunch at Monaci delle Terre Nere. Have lunch at Nerello Inn (aka Locanda Nerello), a Michelin-star restaurant.
4:00 to 6:00 pm: Benanti. Sign up for the Selezione Benanti experience, which includes a tour of the estate, a tasting of 5 wines, plus a food pairing.
Helpful Tips
You will need a car. It is very challenging, if not almost impossible, to get around without a car in this part of Sicily. Some wineries are located deep in the countryside, along long roads not accessible by public transportation. If you won’t have a car, there are tours you can join instead (we have some recommendations later in this guide). Another option would be to hire a driver for the day.
Many wine tastings include food. We ate A LOT during these wine tastings, more so than at any other wine region we’ve visited so far. Many wine tastings are paired with small snacks, but enough food is provided that for some people, this could actually be a full meal. We ate cheese, sausage, arancini, bread, olive oil, and local delicacies and were surprised with how much food was provided. So, check the fine print and depending on the tasting you choose, it’s OK to come hungry.
Most wineries require a reservation in advance. This is a small wine region and many wineries are not set up to accept walk-ins. That means you will have to plan out your day in advance and make those reservations.
If you want to see the harvest, this takes place in September and October. There is a lot of variability as to when the grapes are harvested. Those on the warmer, southern slopes are harvested September into October and those on the northern slopes are harvested in October. For reference, the harvest times on the rest of Sicily can start as early as July. Our visit was at the end of October.
Vines at the very end of October
Interesting Facts about Mount Etna Wines
The Etna wine region is designated D.O.C., or Denominazione di origine controllata. The wine is produced on the north, east, and south slopes of Mount Etna.
The grapes are grown throughout a wide range of altitudes, between 400 and 1100 meters. This altitude, combined with the geographical location of the vineyard, creates a lot of variability of the flavor profiles of the wine.
The soil is nutrient poor. These vines are growing on volcanic soil, which imparts a mineral flavor to the wine. These wines are also very high in tannins.
The main grape used for red wines is Nerello Mascalese followed by Nerello Cappuccio. The Carricante grape is predominantly used in the white wines. Most of the wine produced on Etna is red wine.
Etna red wines have a very light color, similar to, or sometimes even a little lighter than pinot noir. These red wines have a lot more acidity and salinity than other red wines from around the world, giving them a much different flavor profile.
Where to Stay
We stayed at Villa Neri Resort & Spa, a resort and vineyard in the northern Mount Etna region. It is a property that has a lot of potential and gets many great reviews, but we did not have a good experience here. Our room was located over their conference room. All day and late into the night, we had lots of noise from this room, lasting until midnight. Unfortuntately, since they were completely booked, we were not able to change rooms. Maybe we just had bad timing, but if you are looking for a tranquil resort stay, I recommend looking elsewhere.
The view of Mount Etna from our room at Villa Neri
Dimora Cottanera is located on the Cottanera vineyard and they get much better review scores than Villa Neri. If we did it again, this would be on the top of my list.
B&B Le Vie del Borgo is a mid-range property in the northern region that gets exceptional reviews.
If you want to stay on the eastern slopes, Bedda Mia Etna House B&B is a small house with a pool that offers several room types. It is located in a quiet, residential area.
Tours of the Etna Wine Region
There are numerous tours from Taormina and Catania that visit the Etna wine region. Some of these are solely visits to wineries whereas others also include a visit to Mount Etna.
Winery Tours
Visit More Wine Regions Around the World
FRANCE: Spend 3 days on the Alsace Wine Route, visiting small towns like Colmar, Eguisheim, and Ribeauville.
SPAIN: Here are the best wineries to visit in Rioja.
ITALY: Tour the hill towns of Tuscany and visit Montepulciano, Siena, and Montalcino. Get the full list of things to do in our Tuscany Bucket List.
PORTUGAL: Visit the best wineries in the Douro Valley and plan your Douro Valley day trip from Porto.
AUSTRALIA: Go wine tasting in Barossa Valley and McLaren Vale.
NEW ZEALAND: Visit New Zealand’s largest wine region, the Marlborough Wine Region on the South Island.
CHILE: Visit the wine regions around Santiago, Chile.
ARGENTINA: Explore the wine regions around Mendoza, Argentina.
If you have any questions about how to visit the Mount Etna wine region, let us know in the comment section below.
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