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Minnella

A native varietal, grown only on Mt. Etna. Famous scholar Domenico Sestini describes it for the first time in 1760. It is mainly found in old promiscuous vineyards, along with Nerello Mascalese or Carricante. The name Minnedda janca (“little white breast”) comes from the shape of the berries, which resemble a minna, a woman’s breast.

The plant has low vigour, with medium-sized leaves and clusters, small to medium size berries of typical shape and golden yellow color with greenish hues. It ripens towards the end of September, shortly before the other Etnean varietals.

It has always been a key ingredient to Etnean wines, which often stand out by acidity or tannin, and helps to soften them a bit.