The Cottanera winery is located in the municipal area of Castiglione di Sicilia, on the north side of Etna. This is the historically most suitable area of the volcano, especially for the cultivation of red berried grapes: nerello mascalese and nerello cappuccino. Since 1960 Cottanera has been present in these unique lands in the world, characterized by strong contrasts and extreme conditions for viticulture. Etna is a volcano of over 3,350 meters, located in the heart of the Mediterranean, surrounded by the sea. The hot and dry climate of the coast becomes more and more cool and breezy as you go up to altitude. The vines are cultivated up to an altitude of about 1200 meters above sea level. It is a true mountain viticulture, practiced at the edge of the sea. The climate is characterized by considerable temperature variations between the hottest hours of the day and the cold nights. A condition that favors a particularly slow ripening of the grapes, with aromatic profiles rich in perfumes and with very intense aromas. Sunny and mild autumns are ideal for bringing perfectly healthy late-ripening grapes to the harvest. In addition to particularly favorable and unique climatic conditions in the world, the Etna area is characterized by soils deriving from the disintegration of lava skiing from various eras, composed of volcanic rocks, sands and lapilli. These are loose soils, very draining and particularly rich in minerals. In the older vineyards, the vines are grown according to the ancient Greek sapling system, while they are often espalier in the more modern systems. The steep slopes on the side of the mountain force the use of terraces with dry retaining walls.

The landscape of the Cottanera vineyards is fascinating. The vineyards are located in the Castiglione di Sicilia area and are divided into various parcels, some in Contrada Cottanera and Diciassettesalme, at about 700 meters above sea level, others in Contrada Calderara at almost 800 meters, some in Contrada Feudo di Half at 750 meters and finally in Contrada Zottorinoto between 750 and 800 meters, which is a real spearhead of the winery. The Cottanera vineyards are managed with artisanal care, respecting a particular territory, which is located within a naturalistic context that is still intact and characterized by a rich environmental biodiversity. All harvesting operations are carried out manually, with selection of the best bunches in the vineyard, in order to safeguard the quality of the grapes. This is how labels are born that express the peculiar character of the individual districts, bringing all the smallest nuances of the Etna terroir into the glass.