Nicolò Grippaldi Spinasanta 2020
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The Land
Nerello Mascalese is Etna's grape, but Spinasanta does not come from the volcano. It grows in Gagliano Castelferrato, in the province of Enna, the only Sicilian province with no coastline and a part of the island almost nobody associates with wine. Nicolò Grippaldi's vines sit at 650 to 700 meters, on land where his great-grandfather kept a small vineyard a century ago. The soils are a patchwork of clays and limestone, including blue and brecciated clays, a very different base from Etna's volcanic sand. Up here, far from the moderating sea, the summers are hot and the nights cool down hard, and that altitude and diurnal swing keep acidity intact in a grape that can otherwise turn soft in the Sicilian sun. The vineyard is dry-farmed, with no irrigation.
The Wine
The Nicolò Grippaldi Spinasanta 2020 is 100% Nerello Mascalese from vines Nicolò planted in 2015. Fermentation starts spontaneously with indigenous yeasts in 25-hectoliter concrete vats, after a two-day pre-fermentation soak, and the wine then stays on its skins for roughly two months after fermentation finishes. Punch-downs and pump-overs are done by hand. There is no oak: the wine ages at least 12 months in the same concrete, which keeps the fruit and the site in front. Sulfur is kept to a minimum. That long maceration gives Spinasanta more grip than most Nerello from the coast: morello cherry, ripe strawberry, pine and ash, then a full body with powdery, firm tannin and a smoky, spiced finish. The 2020 season in Sicily ran mild through spring and early summer with average rainfall, conditions that allowed full phenolic ripening.
The People
Nicolò Grippaldi studied literature and philosophy at the University of Florence, and it was in Tuscany, through the family behind Castello dei Rampolla in Panzano, that he found wine and biodynamic farming. He came home to Gagliano Castelferrato and replanted his great-grandfather's abandoned land on April 3, 2015, with about 11,000 vines split between Nerello Mascalese and Nero d'Avola. The first harvest came in 2017. Nicolò farms biodynamically, following the lunar calendar, using only mined sulfur and small amounts of copper, and he does nearly all the vineyard and cellar work himself outside of harvest. His stated goal is bigger than one estate: to put Enna on the map as a serious place for wine. This is natural wine from Sicily's interior, made by someone building a region from zero.
Food Pairing
Spinasanta has the tannin and depth for hearty food. Braise pork shoulder with wild fennel, tomato and red wine until it falls apart, and serve it over polenta. Pasta alla Norma, with fried eggplant, tomato and ricotta salata, matches the wine's smoky side and its acidity cuts the oil. Grilled Italian sausages with charred peppers and onions give the firm tannin fat to work on. Finish with aged pecorino and a drizzle of honey. This is the red for a cold night when dinner is slow-cooked and nobody is in a hurry to leave the table.
We ship wine to most states with a $100 minimum order for shipping. We don't ship spirits nor beer.
Weather shipping advisory: Orders placed during times of extreme heat or extreme cold will be held for no charge until more favorable weather returns.
Named for its pale color and hometown of Mascali, Nerello Mascalese is a rising star in the wine world. Indigenous to Mount Etna, it was overlooked for decades until recently the world has taken notice of the elegant yet powerfully minerally wines produced on the volcanic slopes. Think halfway between Pinot Noir and Nebbiolo.
Nerello Mascalese
Certified Biodynamic vineyard farming is a holistic approach building upon organic principles, viewing the vineyard as a self-contained ecosystem influenced by cosmic rhythms. Based on Rudolf Steiner's teachings, it integrates precise agricultural methods with lunar and astrological calendars, using natural preparations from herbs, minerals, and manure to enhance soil and plant health. Certification by organizations like Demeter International requires rigorous inspections to ensure strict compliance. Biodynamic farming seeks not only high-quality wines but also ecological harmony, sustainability, and deeper connections among land, plants, animals, and humans.
