THE WINES
Ballasanti production is concentrated on monovarietal wines made from Nerello Mascalese for the reds and rosés, and Carricante for the whites. Ballasanti benefits from its collaboration with the Piedmontese winemaker, Luca Caramellino, who has embraced the poetry of Ballasanti’s vision. On the slopes of Etna, he has found the ideal terrain to utilize his undisputed expertise and vision.
THE VINEYARDS
There are three vineyards in production: Tenace, Sublime and Temerario. They are located on the eastern and north-eastern slopes, and their soil composition and position have a significant impact on the wine produced.
The wealth of minerals such as iron, magnesium and potassium contributes to the unique complexity and structure of the wine. The geographical location and the day- and night-time temperatures, helped by the vineyards’ altitude, assist in developing intense aromas and maintaining good acidity, whilst giving the wines their crispness, minerality and complexity.
The eastern slope, characterized by greater rainfall and exposure to the Ionian Sea breezes, produces wine with greater vibrancy and acidity. Its volcanic soil mixes with sand and clay which are rich in iron oxide, giving the wine a silky elegance and a more delicate structure compared to the renowned northern wines, where the volcanic soil mixes with basalt rock to yield a more robust structure and more pronounced tannins. Our vineyard located on the northeast slope produces wines with a robust structure combined with elegance and complexity.
The Tenace Vineyard
In Contrada Chiusitti, consisting of 3 hectares of vineyards on a 6-hectare property in the Etna DOC region, and lying at 850 m above sea level, the vineyard is located immediately to the east slope. The high altitudes (800-850 m above sea level) and the climatic conditions also enhance the concentration of sugars and polyphenols in the grapes, improving the wines’ structure and longevity and creating well-balanced wines. The east-facing vineyard is planted with Carricante, producing two white wines: the Etna Bianco DOC and the Donna Manuela Etna DOC launched in 2026. These two white wines are the first two elements of a triad of quintessential femininity celebrated by us. An intense, complex, sweet, multi-faceted, forbearing, renewed and reawakened femininity; the offspring of an ancestral force that Gaia, Manuela and Mara have uncovered and continue to uncover in their Mount Etna.
The Etna Bianco DOC is dedicated to and inspired by Gaia Morgana. Just as our young woman is a disruptive innovator, it is vibrant, crisp and mineral; it speaks to the strength and spontaneity of a feminine spirit that is open and joyful in the face of a whole life yet to unfold.
Donna Manuela (Etna Bianco DOC Select 2023), set to make its market debut in 2026, is produced from a single, carefully selected parcel; the highest in elevation, the most exposed to the wind, and situated near a lava flow. Donna Manuela is a complex, elegant wine that expresses the energy of the wine uniting Etna and the sea. It is dedicated to Manuela, a woman who has consciously overcome the challenges in uniting two different worlds and transforming a dream into reality. Donna Manuela is the embodiment of a mature, creative woman who has learnt to embrace life’s complexities, uncertainties, successes, fears and dreams.
Donna Manuela tells of a mature woman embracing her femininity, pursuing harmony with all the elements encircling her and seeking to restore authenticity to the world. Like other mature women, Donna Manuela calls on the power of the wind that flows from the land far out to sea and then returns to shore with renewed energy, bringing nourishment for her and those around her.
The Sublime Vineyard
consists of 7 hectares, 2 of which are in production, 650 m above sea level in Piedimonte Etneo. It lies in the Etna DOC area, cultivating the Nerello Mascalese grape in three-branch sapling vines. The traditional sapling cultivation makes this vineyard a truly rare gem. These plants have long been rooted in the black and red soil of the volcano and their generative power is given full expression in Nerello, producing three wines, the Etna Rosato, the Etna Rosso DOC, and the Donna Mara Etna DOC which is to be launched in 2026. Donna Mara symbolically concludes our narrative of quintessential femininity, representing the wise woman who unites the essence of Mount Etna, both strong and hardy. The essence of an indomitable volcano whose lava transforms into stone but which, over time, allows new life to be reborn. A woman who knows how to gather together her experiences, transforming them into new life, and nourishing the earth.
The Sublime vineyard also produces our Etna Rosso and Rosato, two wines whose stories each extend beyond the glass. Etna Ross is dedicated to Fabio, an intense, profound, strong and indomitable man. Etna Rosato was created to tell the story of a balance achieved through love, a harmonious meeting of mountain and sea, and is dedicated to their sons, Simone and Davide.
Donna Mara is intended as a tribute to one woman, and to all wise women of a certain age, who have managed to gather together the sweet and bitter moments accumulated over a lifetime and transform them into a unique creation. The Ballasanti wind has helped Donna Mara find her equilibrium between heaven and earth.
The Temerario Vineyard
Located in the Ricceri Ciapparo neighbourhood of San Giovanni Montebello (Giarre), this historic vineyard is where it all began and where the company’s historic headquarters are based. It consists of 2.5 hectares lying 450 m above sea level at ‘U Ballasanti, and was tended by Don Angelo, Manuela’s grandfather.
This young Nerello Mascalese vineyard produces the Sicilia Doc Nerello Mascalese, a vibrant and bold wine, dedicated to their son, Lorenzo. This wine lies at the heart of Ballasanti, representing a harmonious blend of past and present, yet with an eye to the future. The Sicilia DOC is soft, cheerful, elegant and proud, just like the young Lorenzo.
The finesse and elegance of Nerello Mascalese are achieved through careful attention to the expression of tannins, whilst the terroir’s unique characteristics, such as its salinity and earthy notes, lend silkiness and elegance.
Interview with Manuela Seminara
