Eno-Trio (Nunzio Puglisi)
Randazzo, Etna, Sicily, Italy
“Siamo contadini da sempre.” – Nunzio Puglisi
Eno-Trio is located in Randazzo, on the northern side of Mt Etna, the active volcano on the island of Sicily. It’s here that the volcanic soils and high elevations offer the opportunity to make remarkable and distinct wines. The winery is run by Nunzio Puglisi with the help of his two daughters Stefany and Désirée, who in 2012, encouraged Nunzio to start making wine under his own label. Nunzio had worked as an agronomist in various projects around Etna for over 30 years, including 15 years at Benanti. Nunzio was the agronomist there during their pioneering years of utilizing Selection Massale to replant and restore vineyards on the volcano. All the while, Nunzio maintained his family vines, making small amounts for friends and family.
Nunzio and his daughters define themselves as farmers, artisans, and winemakers who believe, true to Nunzio’s agricultural roots, that wine is made in the vineyards. They own 3 hectares of vines scattered across the northern slopes of Etna that goes from Randazzo (650m) to Bronte (1100m) to Maletto (960m). They mainly cultivate the native vines of the area such as Nerello Mascalese and Carricante, but experimentally planted Pinot Nero, Traminer Aromatico, Moscato a Petit Grain, Chardonnay and Merlot plants.
Nunzio’s lifelong experience of nurturing his family’s vines convinced him to work naturally at Eno-Trio. Planting, pruning, and harvesting are all linked to the phases of the moon. In the cellar, only indigenous yeasts are used for fermentation, which takes place in steel vats or wooden tubs. Elevage for the red wines lasts between 12 and 24 months and takes place in second and third pass oak barrels and tonneaux. Whites are aged in steel from one to two years. Eno-Trio wines are not stabilized, filtered or clarified. Nunzio believes that the wines of Eno-Trio are true representations of Etna which reflect the vine, the soil, the climate and the terroir and are therefore different from year to year. All the wines are fully organic.
Our Selections
Eno-Trio Nerello Mascalese Etna Rosso Calderara 2019
This wine is produced from grapes from a centuries-old vineyard which is, for the most part, ungrafted, pre-phylloxera rootstock. Contrada Calderara is one of the best vineyards on Etna for the production of Etna Rosso DOC, where vines have been grown for centuries. The vineyard is located on the northern slope of the volcano at an altitude of 650 meters above sea level. The volcanic soil is rich in minerals and organic material.
The grapes are harvested manually in open boxes between late September and early October, immediately pressed and separated from the stems. The destemmed and crushed fruit remains in open vats and tonneaux where alcoholic fermentation begins spontaneously. No selected yeasts or other oenological products are added. After an 8-10 day fermentation, the wine is kept on the skins for a few more days. It is then drawn off with pressing with a manual hydraulic press. The wine was then kept in barrels, barriques and fourth and fifth passage tonneaux for six months, where spontaneous malolactic fermentation took place.
The wine is an intense ruby red with great freshness and good consistency. On the nose there are hints of ripe forest fruit, crushed raspberry, spice and vanilla. The palate features a medium body with snappy acidity and verve. This is astoundingly good.
Eno-Trio Carricante Iddu Terre Siciliane Bianco 2022
From the noted Calderara vineyard located at 650 meters on the north slope of Etna. This is almost entirely Carricante with tiny quantities of Grecanico, Malvasia, Inzolia and Minnella Bianca all co-fermented from a field blend. The Carricante, in part, was re-grafted in 2013 on old strains of Nerello Nascalese and other varieties such as Francisi. The Minnella is from ancient, ungrafted vines.
The grapes were harvested manually at the end of September, then crushed, destemmed and put into stainless steel. Spontaneous fermentation was completed after 3 days with no additives. The wine was kept on the lees, with occasional battonage, for three months before bottling. It was bottled unfined and unfiltered.
The wine is straw yellow in color with excellent clarity. The nose features hints of green apple, lemon and a distinct mineral note. The palate is fresh and pithy with savory notes, round in texture and good persistence. 12.5% alc.
Eno-Trio Nerello Mascalese Etna Rosso Pussenti 2017
This wine is produced from grapes from a centuries-old vineyard which is, for the most part, ungrafted, pre-phylloxera rootstock. Contrada Calderara is one of the best vineyards on Etna for the production of Etna Rosso DOC, where vines have been grown for centuries. The vineyard is located on the northern slope of the volcano at an altitude of 650 meters above sea level. The volcanic soil is rich in minerals and organic material.
The grapes are harvested manually in open boxes between late September and early October, immediately pressed and separated from the stems. The destemmed and crushed fruit remains in open vats and tonneaux where alcoholic fermentation begins spontaneously. No selected yeasts or other oenological products are added. After an 8-10 day fermentation, the wine is kept on the skins for a few more days. It is then drawn off with pressing with a manual hydraulic press, The wine was then kept in barrels, barriques and fourth and fifth passage tonneaux for six months on the gross lees. After being racked from the lees, the wine spends another 10 months in tonneaux followed by another six months in stainless steel before bottling.
Darker in appearance than the Calderara. Rich, warm aromas of dark, ripe fruits. Full bodied with an enveloping mouthfeel.
Eno-Trio Traminer Macerato Terre Siciliane Orange 2022
This wine is produced from a one hectare vineyard, cultivated in an extreme area on the slopes of the Etna volcano, in the Contrada Nave, in the Municipality of Bronte, at an altitude of 1100 meters above sea level. It is a volcanic, rich soil derived from the decomposition of plant and animal residues.
The vineyard is surrounded by chestnut trees, walnut trees, gorse plants and wild ferns. The vineyard has been planted to Gewürztraminer cuttings, purchased in France at the beginning of the 90s, which in Sicily takes the name of Traminer Aromatico. Two separate passes are done. The must of the first pass is pressed off the skins then added to the grapes and skins of a later harvest and is allowed to macerate for 30 days before pressing and being kept in steel for about two months before being bottling, unfiltered and unfined. There is also 10% Moscato added to the wine making the blend 90% Gewurztraminer and 10% Moscato.
The Macerato is bright orange in color with a very fragrant and fruity nose of pink grapefruit, citrus and just a hint of lychee. The palate is very fresh with citrus notes, good structure and a fair amount of tannin that gives a lovely, dry finish. 12% alc.
Eno-Trio Pinot Nero Tiurema IGT Siciliane Rosso 2021
100% Pinot Noir from a half-hectare organic vineyard (Contrada Lago) at 1000 meters on clay soils in the municipality of Maletto. The vineyard is on the north slope of Etna, in an area that had been planted to cereals and grains. The Pinot Nero was sourced from Pierre-Marie Guillaume, a well-respected vine cultivator in France. The vineyard is fully organic.
Hand-harvested at the end of September. The grapes are de-stemmed and left to spontaneously ferment in open vats. After 10 days of fermentation, the wine is transferred to second and third passage barrels, barrique, and tonneaux, where it remains for six months. The wine is then racked off its fine lees and rests for another six months in steel before bottling.
This is delicious. Bright color - very clear with brilliant red notes. 13% Alc. Earthy/fruity notes on the nose. Tart on the palate with strawberry/cranberry notes. This is a lighter style Pinot Noir but there's brilliant minerality and liveliness.
Eno-Trio Nerello Mascalese Rosato Terre Siciliane 2022
This Rosato is made entirely from Nerello Mascalese grapes from a organic vineyard located in the Calderara district, one of the most renowned zones of Etna, where vines have been grown for centuries. Located on the northern slope of the volcano at an altitude of 650 meters above sea level, the vineyard is rich in volcanic deposits, minerals and organic material. The vineyard is surrounded by centuries-old olive trees of the Brandolfino and Nocellara dell’Etna varieties.
The grapes are harvested manually between late September and early October. Upon arrival at the winery, the bunches are de-stemmed and kept on the skins in an open vat for twelve hours before pressing with a manual hydraulic press. Spontaneous fermentation takes place in stainless steel vats and the wine remains on the lees for almost three months. Separated from the latter, a natural tartaric stability follows. The wine, not filtered or clarified, is bottled and allowed to rest for an additional three months before release.
The wine is a Cerasuolo style Rosato, almost fuschia in appearance. On the nose there are hints of ripe forest fruit and cherries and a brilliant candied fruit aroma. The palate is fresh, soft and persistent with excellent texture and minerality. This is a Rosato with a bit of substance that lends itself well to a variety of dishes such as fish, white meats, hard cheeses and of course, olives. 12% alc.