Ep. 2013 Angelo Silvestro of Pietradolce  | Wine, Food & Travel With Marc Millon

The Italian wine podcast is the community driven platform for Italian winegeeks around the world. Support the show by donating at italian wine podcast dot com. Donate five or more Euros, and we'll send you a copy of our latest book, my Italian Great Geek journal. Absolutely free. To get your free copy of my Italian GreatGeek journal, click support us at italian wine podcast dot com, or wherever you get your pods. Welcome to wine food and travel. With me, Mark Billen, on Italian wine podcast. Listen in as we journey to some of Italy's most beautiful places in the company of those who know them best. The families who grow grapes and make fabulous wines. Through their stories, we all learn not just about their wines, but also about their ways of life, the local and regional foods and specialities that pair naturally with their wines. And the most beautiful places to visit. We have a wonderful journey of discovery ahead of us, and I hope you will join me. Welcome to wine food and travel with me Mark Millen on Italian wine podcast. Today, we travel to Sicily to the northern slopes of Mount Aetna, Europe's most active volcano and to the small village of Solikiata to meet my guest Angelosio Vestro of the Pietra Adolce winery. Good morning, Angelo. Hi, everybody. And thanks for, this occasion. It's a very pleasure for us to explain and to talk about our amazing territory. Great. Well, I look forward to that. Is Monji Bello quiet today? Cheese. Actually, she is because she refers to Mount Edton as a a female goodness. So she's pretty quiet today. Okay. And has it been a fairly quiet year for the volcano? Yeah. I can see that we are in a an activity moment now, that's, can be asked for, forty years or more sometimes. So, some days, we have eruptions, some days of Okay. Well, growing grapes and making wine on the slopes of Europe's most active volcano is an unique vocation in a unique environment. Can you describe for our listeners Angelo? Can you describe where you are, what the landscape's like, what the views are so we can get a picture of of where you are on this unique environment. Sure. Yes. We are, actually in the not the slope of mountain. Looking at, the never demand and range. The never demand and range make a difference to make this, area, the northern slope of Montecter, a little bit drier. And warmer compared to days. So mounted is pretty unique for this. It's not a matter of, the sun exposure or, the air circulation. A matter of different attitudes, different landscapes, So it's pretty unique. Talk about, when we are, we are in a very, in a pretty warm area compared to the east, despite the north facing. And there's a less green compared to the east that is very beautiful too. We also have a couple of actors in the east side of the volcano close to millo because we are mainly focusing on the north as low, but just two actors we have in that distance low. And mill is very green. It's very humid. It is very, very fresh. So Mount Patton is able to give us the possibility to produce, different wines, moving, among the different size, different scopes of Mount Patton or just moving a few mirrors because what changed is that, especially, the attitude, and for sure, the sub itself because the sub is affected by different lava flows. Okay. That's a really good, a description, the Nebrony mountains to the north, protecting the northern flanks of of Aetna itself. This warm atmosphere, you're telling me Angelo, it's a very hot day, a very humid day. Today yesterday and yesterday too were very, very hot and humid. But I think that the June and the July are the hottest month at all here. Because almost usually, in August, we have some rates, that the project drop during May. They time in night time temperature. September would be usually will be much more fresher. Okay. So the last part of June usually is pretty pretty hot. The moment we are, not in average, but for us, these conditions are normal. I think that these dinners will be very good because the grapes are very healthy at the moment. And we hope about a very, very good system easier. Okay. Great. Now, Angela, share with us a brief history of Pietro Dolce. For sure. Consider that, a two thousand and five was the first part of the reborn of Mountetano wines. This reborn starts in, between the late nineteenth and the early two thousand. And at the time, there were just, fifteen one is probably a month, Edna. I think yes. Today, there are more than two hundred and forty different one is. The property is the Family Faro, and, the Family Faro, since the beginning, had an idea, a precise idea producing high quality wines from, on the north slope of Mountette, and mainly from three feed locksmith videos. I'm pretty sure that, you know, we have a lot of knowledgeable Philoxera. Filoxera, Mountetna, they disperse so much, actually, less than, others area like, Pea, Ontario, or, the West part of Sisi. Maybe because of two different reasons. Once the same result that we have here, the result doesn't match very well with Felix. And the second, the position of each video. The geography here is mounted and it's very hard. It's actually the lava flows we have. And, some being that are almost in quarantine, so isolated. And this was very, very useful to avoid the locks to spread out. So here, we can talk about pre filoxie convenience. Obviously, we have twenty percent of the wines at the end. We're resisting a kiloxie. Eighty five percent for the tower. Ungrafted. So no graft to go into America rootstock. It means that that they preserve. The genetic code will pre fill lobster around. Italian wine podcast. If you think you love wine as much as we do, then give us a like and a follow anywhere you get your pods. Okay. This is really, really interesting, Angelo. And I think, a point you made is very, very important. Aetna is one of the oldest winelands in Italy, indeed in the world, but it's also hugely exciting because it's a wine region that has only rediscovered itself over the last Well, as you say, from the nineteen nineties on. So we're talking about the last thirty years, this rediscovery, this renaissance of the wines of Mount Aetna even though vines have been on the volcano for probably thousands of years. Pietra Dolce is an example then of a new wine estate that reflects this new modern Aetna. Tell us about the actual wine cantina because I understand it's a really beautiful. My colleagues have described to me a really beautiful ultra modern wine cantina. Yes. The idea of, the family was a source of, for, both wine and beauty. That's why we built this one week between fifteen and seventeen and we opened doors for wine loss. Just in two thousand eighteen. So we took four years to complete the interior design, which is very minimal and the refers to our territory. So we had some pieces of, in the one way that is a sort of dialogue. Between us and, and our beautiful landscapes. One of this piece of art is called Pietra delcoa. And, I try to introduce you this piece of art just with my work. Imagine a base of, a burned steel that, refers to the fire parts of the lava flow. There is a sort of base of water that, create a sort of movement. And this refers to the snow that the melt during spring and provide tier by tier, an important super water for the rivers on the ground. We also have in this piece of a reflection, you know, of the ceiling. And this reflection is like, the abstract element of Mount Petena. The vibration, the movement. This piece of art, this base of stainless steel is plenty of thirty one rocks that refers to the rocks on mountain because there are plenty of rocks here. So this is, probably the main piece of what we have, but we also have, four or more pieces of water in the water. So the winery is very much linking itself to history and art and culture. And that's very important to the photo family from the beginning. I'm not just creating a a functional winery. Yes. The family is very, very connected with territory. They also have, a small luxury hotel in, JavaScript or Southeast part time because they are a percussion. They have, a nursery plan business And, both business are still very connected with territory. So, for example, the small luxury hotel is a very green because that area is very green. Here on the one we use just a few materials like iron, like rock, just some colors, like gray, like black. Each building refers to the territory came from. Okay. Okay. So that's really a good description. Now the estate owns thirty hectares of small plots located within Ramante and Santo spirito, HudorimATso. These are a range of different altitudes. Can you explain to our listeners what a contrada is and why it's so important on Aetna? Consider the contrada is a pretty big area. And usually, originally, these controls are divide among them by a lot of lava flows. So you can consider like, like, Montra share, you know. So a big area within this controller, a grower is able to produce different wines. For example, in a Cortrella andante where we are, mainly focused and we produce a part of the basic red and white and three singlevenient wines refers to our prime line. So within the same code, we can have a different altitude, the different exposure of different sorts because of a different amount of flow. But for sure, the altitude, the difference in altitude between, for example, Santo spirit, which is very high. And the field of the beds, which is very low. The difference is huge. So table of the beds, so our field of the soil, usually is very fluidy, very rich in the mouth field. Where Santa speak, of course, the very high altitude is very volcanic in terms of, profiling, you know, a lot of iron, performs, ashes, smokiness, So depending on the altitude, depending on the overflow, you can produce a totally different wines, even if for example, we use the same identical one making process. Okay. That's really interesting. And I think your description of it in relation to say, Monne Rachey and the grand cru of the côte d'or in burgundy is important because we're talking about really marked and striking differences in wines, in crew wines from the different contrade. So for our listeners, I think it's important to understand that the contrade represent the grand crew of Aetna. Would you say that's correct? Some contrast represents the grand cruise. Like, so the badge is one of the most renowned the role for example. Or at sunset dot u, actually, or a barbecue for example, at the moment it's outside the ERC. They are discussing about, moving up probably in, the next years. But what changes, all the countries that are close by next each other. Some controllers are very, very renowned, some less but all the controls are able to produce a predefined element wise. Okay. Now I just wanna go back to this point you've made because I think it's important for our listeners. The pre philosopher vines that have been grown for, in some cases, more than a hundred years. Now when the family came to Aetna, were these old vineyards still in place? And then they were restored, brought back to life. We're talking about Narello Masca Narello Capucho, the on the eastern side. These are old vineyards, pre philosopher vineyards that had been bought abandoned and then re brought back to life. Is that how it happened in the renaissance of Aetna? Sometimes. Yes. Sometimes, we just bought already planted beer that, the girl was not able to go father, to go ahead. So we we just bought the already planted vineyards in this case, but, for sure, each v each family has a young vineyards from which producing different wines or, individual wines. We may be safe, for example, We bought year by year over time. We are the difference more per se. So we feed logs and already planted beer. We just bought. I mean, why we planted the new vineyard so that, now we use for our and cerebral, white, and red. Actually, this is a very important point because, for example, a rosette that belongs to this plan. A rosette is the only wine from Pietra Dolce line that came from a single vineyard because we decided to exact the Rosescatabrio. And we choose it from that type of wine, we choose a single vineyard. And it's very old, actually, it's not with the locks, and we talk about the thirty five years old venience. But, from that, being in the Toronto area, we produce a very fine meal and the refreshing music. Okay. I think the Rosets of Aetna are some of the most exciting from all over Italy. And I think it's a category that we'll see increasing. Tell us just in a brief word what the alvarado at Naya is. This unique form of training that I've seen in the vineyard said you will only find an Aetna. For sure, I better let them know it's the main training system. You will hear or mount that. At the beginning, a long time ago, they used this type of training system to maximize the spaces because this area is very steep especially the noticeable of mounted. So the steeper is the area, the more that I saw is the space. And, in order to plan more by correction, they use this. So the distance among the vines is about one meter and one meter. With this training system, they also maximize the air circulation just tying the sheets on the tip of the chestnut tossed in the middle. And the the sump exposure because a conditioning system, we don't have a precise exposure. So the binds each vine take the sump exposure the whole day. For sure is is is the benchmark of this territory. It's a part of this landscape. Personally, even for the younger vineyards, the new vineyards, the to use the the albera leukemia and not the the court on the double cord of Genesis. Okay. That's really interesting. So this traditional system has been proved to be, the best way to train and cultivate vines in this unique environment and being adapted even for the new vineyards that you replant. Can we discuss a couple of your most iconic wines, which I think will give our listeners a real flavor of the Pietro Dolce wines and also of these great wines, the the white as well as the red. So let's start with, your flagship, Santandrea Caricante. Which is an IGT, not actually an Aetna Bianco. San Andreas is, is a IGT because the idea behind San Andreas was to exile the the characteristic grape from old vines. That's why We just choose the oldest vines in our pre feedloxera vineyard in Milo. We fill up, two thousand lir boot cask, and this one remain in contact with the skins for eight to ten months. So it's a over macerate the white one. And in this case, in this way, we are able to take the most from these outstanding grapes. The profile of Santa, there is it's pretty unique. We didn't want to label Zeaten a White. Actually, it's impossible. Even if we would address it in, in label this wine, return white, it would be impossible because, the profile, the color, and the performance of this wine, I thought it would be for the comfort of the usual return of white we are used to drink. When I have to explain something there, I should say the profile is mediterranean herbs, orange, sage, lemon peel. So it's a very outstanding complex wine that we serve, but, higher altitude of sebring temperatures. So fourteen, fifteen degrees Celsius in order to take the most of this particular profile. And it's a wine that, match very well with some particular local cheeses or, for example, I prefer it with healthy food instead of seafood. So mushrooms, sport chili, or truffles for example. Wow. That sounds. I I haven't tasted the San Andreas, but it sounds a fascinating wine. So it's a a lengthy skin contact, in the old wood barrels. Now we're talking about caricante, a white grape of Aetna. And you said that these vineyards are on the eastern slope near Milo. Why is the eastern slope? So much more adapted to the production of Aetna's best white wines? I will say for three main factors. One is the direct facing the sea. So the ocean breezes, keep the the temperature and mitigate the temperature much more than than on the slope. The second all the forest that's around middle. So they help to reduce the temperature, especially during night time. The third is the the valet del bove, but the bove was a a huge collapse that occurred about, ten thousand years ago. And this collapse brought, billions and billions of tons of soil directed to milo. So milo is much more fertile with a very deep and sandy soil. Much different, much sandier compared to the Novo's log. And this particular rock, so much very well with a very big that is very close to Vallembo. I mean, it's very rare to find the vibe of Mirio Masca. It's ninety percent probably is Caricanto. Fascinating. That's really interesting. To see how as you said at the beginning of our chat, how just moving around the slopes of the volcano, the terroir changes so comprehensively that different styles of wine can be produced. Now Karicante is also one of the few Italian white grape varieties that lends itself to link the aging. I'm imagining your description of Santandrea, that that acidity, which is a hallmark of Karicante allows this wine to age and improve and evolve for lengthy periods. Is that right? Absolutely. Yes. The the grape, especially from old vines, which produce a very competitive grape sand, especially from are very age worthy. I would say these ones, in millions of times, are more as more aging potential compared to some level of escalators. So they can last for, twelve, fifteen years sometimes. Wow. That's fascinating. That's really interesting. Without losing the freshness, without losing the acidity, they remain a very fresh, very vibrant with a lot of tension on mouth. Get also able to be enjoyed young? Sure. Yes. Yes. But, I mean, I personally prefer them after four or five to six years. Over time, they would be close to some reasoning. So they gain a lot a lot of hydrocarbon sensations like, white petrol, like, gasoline. Very, very delicate, very elegant. So no border line. Something, very, very well integrated. Let's turn now to your at Naroso, another flagship line of Pedro Dolce. Marba Gallito Nerozo is our benchmark or a grand cru red. We use just a grape from a very little vineyard is less than one actor. And this a perfect, a half full shaded area that, faces the north. It's the highest beer that we had, actually, nine hundred meters above Cbd. Middleized, since the beginning, in two thousand, in nine to ten, that, this being is able to combine power from a precise clone of Mirlomás Cleza. And elegance from the altitude. That's why this one is our, a grand cru. We have a lot of, fruity notes in the in, you know, in the barsavic texture, especially over time. And they will be remain young for long, long time with a HD potential that can reach, eighteen years. That's a great description. I guess these two wines and the San Andrea and Barbagalli, would you say they represent the greatest expression of Aetna for Pietro Dolce. They are our purest expression of, of Aetna for sure. Even if the others like, And these are our premier cruise. So they refer to a precise microclimate, a precise vineyard, process conditions, but for sure, Marbodale, and the Santa there has something more. Okay. That's great. These are both gastronomic wines. Can we turn to the gastronomy of of Eastern Sicily foods, the local foods that pair best with the wines of the Pietro Locha wines are very good with, empty food, especially here the rents we produce in there on the slot. They match very well with mushrooms, umami food in general. But they're also very, very interesting, in pairing with local food, with, for example, pastel enormous, which is a benchmark of, Katamecousin. For example. The pasta on Norma, can you describe that? For sure. It's very, very simple, very, very tasty. So just pasta, arbogene, fried arbogene tomato sauce, basil, and, cheese, that is bearing from here, which is, ricotta Salata. So it is a ricotta dried ricotta, very, very salty. That's, some freshness to get past. It has a a good combination because we have sweetness. We have saltiness. We have very unique texture thanks to the albegis. So it's a a complete meal with just a few ingredients. Very tasty. And paired beautifully with a caricante. With caricante, even with some, easier, earlier to drink, expression of, at any rate. Like, for example, our pizza adult cigarette. What about the rosato? What would you pair with you? Rosato? We are very close to sea. So seafood is very is very important here. Rosato match very well with the routeuna or, rousey food in general, for example. Sometimes with some result, like, resultant zucchini. Mhmm. That sounds good. I like that. And, of course, the great reds of Aetna, how would you care of them. I'm imagining that there must be wild game from the Nebrony mountains. I know that there's beautiful salumi made in the Nebrony mountains. Sure. There is a very bench Machueta which is the nebelty black pork. It's very sweet. They produce a lot of salami, a lot of stuff from this, wild pork. And for sure, they're kinda reds naturally well with this type of, meat or, yeah, I repeat mushrooms we have. We are part of the Progyny, for example, in the Netherlands Mountain range, there are also present some truffles. Or, why not? We could hear a very outstanding sausages. With black pepper, with fender seeds, and that we match with, wide herbs from mountain. And the combination with, you know, reds is outstanding. Yeah. Well, that sounds wonderful. Now, Angelo, finally, what about wine hospitality at Pietro Dolce? I'm sure my listeners having heard your descriptions would really love to visit the winery to see this beautiful winery and to learn more about the wines, taste the wines. Is that possible? We are also delighted to welcome all our wine lovers and the winery. We we provide the a complete tour because everything begins to, from the business. So when we start from a nice walk in our archimary vineyard, which is the first three field locks in the building, we built. We will continue with, with this for the winery and the master piece we have in it. And finally, a tasting part in our beautiful tasting room that faces the neighborly Mountain range, and the small volcano, Moi volcano, we have in front of us that you can enjoy from our, very beautiful window and our tasting look. That sounds stunning. In fact, my Italian wine podcast colleagues who have visited Pietro Dolce have described what a wonderful setting the winery is in. So I look forward to visiting myself. Next time I'm in Eastern Sicily, which I hope won't be too long. Angela, you've taken us on a beautiful tour of Mount Aetna of the world of and of some of the wines. I know you produce a a a larger range, but we've described some of your iconic wines and also the foods that pair so well with them. So thank you very much for being my guest today. It's been a real pleasure meeting you here. Looking forward to welcome you and to welcome our wine lovers and the wine roles in the world. Girozier. And I hope to see you soon. We hope you enjoy today's episode of wine, food, and travel with me, Mark Miller on Italian wine podcast. Please remember to like, share, and subscribe right here, or wherever you get your pods. Likewise, you can visit us at italian wine podcast dot com. Until next time.