Tornatore
The farming activity of the Tornatore Wine firm is based on ownership and direct control of a capital company that owns 60 hectares of land located in the area of Castiglione di Sicilia and other 40 hectares directly owned.
The lands cultivations consist in about 46 hectares of vineyards, 8 hectares of olive grove, and 5 hectares of hazelnut trees; the rest is in process of renovation. Tornatore vineyards are now the largest vineyard by extension of Etna DOC production area. The Tornatore vineyards are located in many different districts: among them the
prestigious districts of Crasà, Pietrarizzo, Malpasso, Pietramarina, Torre Guarino, Carranco and Trimarchisa, all in the town of Castiglione di Sicilia. The altitude varies from 550 to 700 meters above sea level and the age ranges
from 5 to 30 years for the reds, and 5 years for whites. The vineyards have been recently renovated in order to further improve the quality standards, and to keep up the strong link with the territory and the wine-making
traditions (a high plant density, and a strictly native variety choice). It has been kept a large number of plants per hectare (about 6,000) and was chosen the cordon pruned with 3/4 spurs. The structure of the vineyards are almost made with espaliers with 2,20 m rows distance, and 0,80 m plant distance. The grapevines cultivated are those provided by the Native Sicilian Wines Product Specifications of DOC Etna Wines. In particular: - Red grape Nerello Mascalese and Nero Cappuccio - White grape Carricante and Catarratto.