We are thrilled to announce our newest exclusive partnership: Tenuta di Fessina, one of the most respected estates on the northern slopes of Mount Etna. Starting mid-September, we will be the sole importer bringing these extraordinary volcanic wines to Hong Kong and Macau — and we couldn’t be more excited to share the story behind them.
A Story Written in Lava and Love
Tenuta di Fessina was born in 2007, when Silvia Maestrelli — a Tuscan native with an entrepreneurial spirit and a deep love of the land — left her life in Milan for the slopes of Etna. Working alongside oenologist Federico Curtaz and her husband, Roberto Silva, she pieced the estate together plot by plot, negotiating patiently with local landowners to secure some of the volcano’s oldest and most storied vineyards.
At the heart of the property sits a restored 17th-century palmento — a traditional stone winemaking structure — nestled in the tiny hamlet of Rovittello, in the municipality of Castiglione di Sicilia. It is here, cradled between two ancient lava flows, that the estate’s identity truly took shape: not merely a winery, but what Maestrelli herself described as a place of beauty between earth and spirit.
Following the untimely passing of both Silvia and Roberto, the estate passed into the hands of those who had shared their vision — Roberto’s cousin Stefano Silva and managing director Jacopo Maniaci, who had joined the winery in 2015. Together with Silvia’s daughter, Lavinia, they continue to steward the estate with the same philosophy that built it: minimal intervention, deep respect for Etna’s ancient vineyards, and an unwavering focus on terroir.
In under two decades, Tenuta di Fessina has grown from a five-hectare passion project into a benchmark producer for the entire Etna appellation — regularly cited by critics and guides as one of the estates that helped put contemporary Sicilian volcanic wine on the world map.
A Vineyard Puzzle Across the Volcano
What sets Tenuta di Fessina apart is its refusal to settle for a single expression of Etna. Rather than concentrating all its vines in one location, the estate deliberately assembled small parcels across several of the volcano’s different faces — each one capturing a distinct facet of this extraordinary mountain.
Rovittello, the northern slope (roughly 650–700 metres): This is the estate’s spiritual home, where vines between 70 and 110 years old still grow in the traditional alberello (bush-vine) form, some rooted in pre-phylloxera soil. The plots lie enclosed between two semicircular sciare — ancient hardened lava flows that act like the stone walls of a French clos, sheltering the vines and creating a unique, isolated microclimate. The dark, mineral-rich volcanic soil, combined with cool nights and dramatic diurnal temperature swings, gives the Nerello Mascalese and Nerello Cappuccio grown here remarkable freshness, elegance and aromatic precision.
Biancavilla, the southwest slope (up to 1,000 metres): At these higher, sun-drenched altitudes, old Carricante vines cling to terraces carved into the volcanic rock. The altitude slows ripening and preserves acidity, producing whites of striking tension and mineral drive.
Milo, the eastern slope: Widely regarded as the historic heartland of Carricante, Milo’s vineyards benefit from maritime influence and volcanic soils of a different mineral composition than the north side. Grapes grown here contribute a saline, citrus-tinged intensity that has made this corner of Etna legendary among white wine lovers.
Every vineyard is farmed by hand, largely organically, and dry-farmed in the traditional Etna manner — no irrigation, just the mountain’s own rhythms of ash, rain and volcanic stone. It is this patchwork of altitudes, exposures and soils that allows Tenuta di Fessina to craft wines of such distinct, site-specific character from a single estate.
A Reference Point for Etna
Tenuta di Fessina is widely considered one of the estates that helped define the modern renaissance of Etna wine. Its flagship red, Il Musmeci — sourced from the oldest vines in Rovittello — has earned comparisons to Barolo for its structure and ageing potential, and the estate’s wines have been recognized vintage after vintage by Italy’s leading wine guides since their very first release in 2007. For collectors and sommeliers exploring volcanic terroir, Tenuta di Fessina is now regarded as an essential name alongside Etna’s most celebrated producers.
Showcasing A’Puddara
Among the estate’s portfolio, we are especially excited to bring A’Puddara to our market — a wine that captures everything remarkable about high-altitude Etna Carricante.
Made from 100% Carricante grown on the estate’s Milo and Biancavilla vineyards, A’Puddara takes its name from local fishermen’s folklore: “le gallinelle” or “la chioccia,” the old term for the Pleiades star cluster, which fishermen returning from the sea would spot rising just above Etna’s summit — a celestial marker that once guided their way home, much as this wine now guides drinkers back to the mountain’s essence.
In the glass, A’Puddara shows a pale straw yellow with hints of green. The nose offers a striking mix of graphite and orange zest, layered with notes of tropical fruit and wild aromatic herbs — a signature of Carricante grown at altitude. On the palate, it is vertical and precise, with high acidity, lemon peel and tropical fruit carried by a distinctly saline, marine-tinged finish. It is a wine that speaks unmistakably of its volcanic origin: mineral, tense, and utterly unique.
A’Puddara is, in many ways, the perfect introduction to Tenuta di Fessina’s philosophy — a wine that could only come from this particular mountain, made by people who have devoted themselves entirely to understanding it.
Available Mid-September
Tenuta di Fessina wines, including A’Puddara, Il Musmeci, and the estate’s Etna Rosso and Bianco Erse bottlings, will be available exclusively through us in Hong Kong and Macau starting mid-September. Whether you’re a restaurant looking to introduce guests to volcanic wine, a retailer seeking a distinctive Sicilian addition to your shelves, or simply a lover of terroir-driven wines, we invite you to get in touch to learn more about allocations and pricing.