SPECIAL Hospices de Beaune Wine Auction 2013: Interview with Vito Catania
Named “Best Italian Wine Estate” for the year 2012, Gulfi offers organic wines made from the rich land of Sicily. Nero d’ Avola will naturally be the major focus as Gulfi is the leading wine estate in Sicilia for this grape variety. But they also make a very limited amount of red wine on the Etna – called Reseca – located around 900 meters above sea level.Vito Catania, owner of Azienda Gulfi, tells us about his love for wines from Burgundy.
We often hear that the wines from Etna have potential to be Burgundy of Italy. Would you agree with this ?
Vito Catania: “I often travel to Burgundy because I love the wines from this region – more particularly those from Gevrey Chambertin and Puligny Montrachet – and also because we have been working for long years with people based in Burgundy. I am always amazed to look at the scenery and I often compare the unique amphitheater shape of our estate vineyard on Etna to the amphiteater formed by the vineyard that make the renowned Chablis Grand Cru La Moutonne. We have the same “temperature effect” in our amphiteater which means that we always get an excellent maturity much in advance compared to other vineyards in the area. With such a striking comparison in my mind, how do you want me to forget about Burgundy when I taste my Etna wine ?”
Do you also share the same view as vignerons from Burgundy?
VC: “At Gulfi, we share the same philosophy as winemakers in Burgundy. Wines are the true expression of the land from which they originate. No attempt is made at making them either the producer’s or the oenologist’s wines. Our work is motivated by a strong passion that has been passed-on from father to son and a sharing of the values that we believe in. Our intervention in the cellar simply involves respecting what was produced by Nature. Simply this. ”
But the soils and your location on Etna are quite different to what we can see in Burgundy…
VC: “Of course. Vigna Poggio stretches for about 2 hectars in Monte La Guardia, a fraction of the commune of Randazzo located on the northern slope of Etna. The vineyards are century old, bush-trained and supported by the typical chestnut pole, with a density of about 10.000 vines per hectare. Vines are planted on lava terraces in the context of a unique striking landscape. It is really spectacular. The particular volcanic soil and the local high hill climate, marked by relevant day-night temperature gap, confer to this cru the unique, mouthfilling and unforgettable flavours typical of Etnean wines. We are always impressed by the delicate aromas and the structure of the Reseca wine. We find a lot of concentration, beautiful tannins and a lovely acidity in this wine that will help them to age beautifully. Again, like any great red Burgundy wines ! ”
(You can reach the writer at info@vitabella.fr)
