I Vigneri di Salvo Foti is an organic project on Etna and in eastern Sicily named after a Vintner’s Guild called the Maestranza dei Vigneri founded there in 1435. I Vigneri is now the name of a company of winegrowers and producers organized and led by Salvo Foti, using traditional methods (eg. bush vines) and environmentally respectful practices.

Salvo Foti: Salvo Foti was born in 1962 in Catania. Aged three, Salvo’s father moved him to Switzerland, but he returned aged 6 and studied in Catania. He became an oenologist, consulting to Benanti until 2011.

Organic certification: 2004 First vintage with full organic certification.

Winemaking:The harvest almost always always takes place after mid-October.

Winery: Building a new winery in Milo (?).

Sparkling wines

Vinudiluce Rosato Brut Spumante NV:

White wines

Etna Bianco DOC Superiore, Vigna Aurora: Carricante. 2014 90% Carricante, 10% Minella bianca. Creamy, nice weight, very good acidity (Real Wine Fair  2016).

Vigna di Milo Bianco: Carricante. | 2014 Lovely vibrancy, good weight (Real Wine Fair 17-18th April 2016)

Vinujancu: Carricante, Riesling (ungrafted), Grecanico and Minnella planted in 2005 in the Nave vineyard in Bronte, on Etna’s north face at 1,200 metres (4,000 feet). 0.4 hectares (0.9 acres). Alberello. Vine spacing of 1m x 1m = 10,000 vines per hectare (4,050 vines per acre). 2009 No chilling, fining or filtration. Wonderful vibrancy and texture, wild herbal notes (Natural Wine Fair 2011.

Pink wines

Vinudilice Rosato: From the 0.35 hectare Bosco vineyard, bosco referring to a forest of holm oaks in the territory of Bronte (Etna North), 1,300 metres (4,265 feet) above sea level. Vigna Bosco is one of the highest vineyards in Europe. The Sicilian term for the ilice or holm oak gives it its name.

Red wines

Red wines went through an uneven phase around 2013-2014 (maybe because a new winery was being built at this time).

Rosso 1435

Palmento Rosso

Etna Rosso DOC, Vinupetra: From 0.5 hectares (1.23 acres) of very old vines in Calderara in the contrada Feudo di Mezzo in Castiglione di Sicilia (Etna Nord, north face of Etna). 700 metres (2,296 feet). Passopisciaro zone. The vines are Nerello Mascalese, Nerello Cappuccio, l’Alicante and Francisi. Alberello. 1m x 1m = 10,000 vines per hectare (4,048 vines per acre). | |2007 Incredible depth and freshness, menthol in the background, amazing wine (Natural Wine Fair, 2011). | 2012 Alicante (Grenache Noir), Nerello Mascalese, and Nerello Capuccio. Lovely forceful red with some H2S finish (Real Wine Fair 2016).

Sicily Rosso I Vigneri Rosso: Nerello Mascalese and Nerello Cappuccio in Randazzo. 700-750 metres (2,297-2,460 feet). Grapes are farmed by I Vigneri but owned by growers. | 2008 Sherry-like nose, but what depth and freshness on the palate (Natural Wine Fair, May 2011). | 2015 90% Nerello Mascalese. 10% Nerello Cappuccio. Palmento–foot trodden. Very nice fruit, bright and sappy (Real Wine Fair  2016).

Contact

I Vigneri di Salvo Foti

L.go Signore Pietà, 17

95036 Randazzo (CT), Sicilia, Italy

Tel+39 0933.982942 | Website www.ivigneri.it