Eduardo Torres Acosta Versante Nord Nerello Mascalese 2022

Born in 1982 in Tenerife, Canary Islands, Eduardo Torres Acosta developed an early connection to winemaking through his grandfather and father, who produced wine traditionally on the island. His father worked as a local postman but maintained a small vineyard plot where Eduardo first learned viticulture. After studying agricultural engineering and oenology, Eduardo's curiosity to explore new territories led him to Sicily in 2012.

His Sicilian journey began with an internship at Arianna Occhipinti's estate in Vittoria, followed by a position as enologist at Passopisciaro, one of the pioneering producers of Etna's modern wine renaissance. Despite his outsider status, Eduardo managed to rent small parcels from local landowners starting in 2014. He specifically sought old vineyards trained in the traditional alberello system on Etna's northern slopes.

Today Eduardo works approximately 4.5 hectares across eight parcels scattered among multiple contrade including Pietramarina, Allegracore, Piano Daini, Zucconero, Friera, and Marchesa. Elevations range from 550 to 950 meters on sandy volcanic ash soils. The vines—many exceeding 50-80 years old—are traditionally interplanted with both red and white varieties: Nerello Mascalese, Nerello Cappuccio, Alicante, and Grenache for reds; Minnella, Carricante, Catarratto, Grecanico, and Inzolia for whites.

Eduardo's approach emphasizes minimal intervention in both vineyard and cellar. He works organically using only sulfur and copper treatments, ferments spontaneously with indigenous yeasts, and follows lunar cycles for bottling. Until 2017, grapes were trucked to Occhipinti's facility in Vittoria; in 2018 he converted a small Etna garage into his own winery but maintains the IGT Terre Siciliane designation rather than Etna DOC.

His main production, Versante Nord (meaning "north slope"), appears in both red and white versions, alongside single-vineyard bottlings Pirrera and Quota N. Eduardo has quickly established himself among Etna's most watched natural wine producers in Italy.

Sicily, Italy's largest island and the Mediterranean's biggest landmass, lies just across the Strait of Messina from the mainland. With Palermo as its capital, this autonomous region ranks as Italy's third-largest wine producer after Veneto and Tuscany.

The island's winemaking history spans over 3,000 years, shaped by waves of Greek, Roman, Byzantine, Arab, Norman, and Spanish influence. This cultural complexity extends to its viticulture, where ancient traditions meet contemporary natural winemaking. Sicily has become a destination for producers committed to organic and biodynamic farming, taking advantage of the island's naturally disease-resistant conditions created by dry weather, strong winds, and intense Mediterranean sun.

Sicily's terroir varies dramatically across the island. In the southeast, around Vittoria and Ragusa, red sandy soils over limestone bedrock produce elegant wines from indigenous varieties. The volcanic slopes of Mount Etna in the northeast offer dramatically different conditions—ancient lava soils at elevations reaching over 1,000 meters, where Nerello Mascalese thrives. Western Sicily around Alcamo features clay and calcareous soils suited to varieties like Catarratto and Grillo.

Native grape varieties define Sicilian winemaking. Nero d'Avola, the island's most planted red grape, produces deep-colored wines with dark fruit and spice. Frappato, lighter and more aromatic, is essential to Cerasuolo di Vittoria—Sicily's only DOCG appellation, a blend pioneered by producers like COS. White varieties include Catarratto, Grillo, Inzolia, Albanello, and Zibibbo (Muscat of Alexandria), used for both dry wines and the famous Passito di Pantelleria.

The Vittoria region in southeastern Sicily has emerged as a hub for natural winemaking. Here, producers like Arianna Occhipinti and COS have redefined expectations for Sicilian wine, proving the island capable of producing elegant, terroir-driven wines rather than the overripe, heavily extracted styles that once dominated. The combination of ancient varieties, diverse soils, and a new generation of thoughtful winemakers continues positioning Sicily among Italy's most dynamic wine regions.