Bella-Colonna

Located in the renowned Calderara Sottana contrada on Etna’s northern slope, Bella-Colonna is Marco de Grazia’s second estate on the volcano, acquired in 2003 following the founding of Tenuta delle Terre Nere. Comprising 4.5 hectares of vines and surrounded by ancient olive trees, the estate includes one hectare dedicated to 80-year-old vines that Marco carefully nurtured and preserved, while the remaining vineyards were uprooted and replanted in 2006 and 2007 using massal selection from the estate’s oldest vines. Today, the vineyards are planted primarily to Nerello Mascalese, alongside a half-hectare of the rare Nerello Mantellato planted in 2019, which Marco believes “weaves velvet into the tannic structure of Nerello Mascalese,” continuing his exploration of Etna’s exceptional volcanic terroir.

While Bella-Colonna shares its origins with Terre Nere, it represents a more intimate expression of Marco’s decades-long work on Etna. Alongside fruit from the estate, he also works with small quantities of grapes from longtime growers in the San Lorenzo and Pignatuni crus, vineyards he has sourced from for many years and considers among Etna’s finest. Produced in extremely limited quantities, these wines allow Marco to further explore the distinctive character of some of the appellation’s most celebrated sites.

The vineyards have been farmed organically since their acquisition in 2003, with an emphasis on preserving the health of the land and expressing the individuality of each cru. More than simply another estate, Bella-Colonna was conceived as a place where experience, curiosity, and continual learning come together. Marco believes that knowledge not shared is knowledge lost, and by working alongside the next generation of winemakers while continuing to refine his own understanding of Etna’s crus, he embraces the belief that craftsmanship is strengthened through both tradition and an openness to new ideas. Conceived as a small-scale exploration of the crus he has long admired, Bella-Colonna embodies Marco’s curiosity, precision, and deep respect for Etna’s volcanic landscape. Shaped by its vineyards and ancient olive groves, it stands as a tribute to both the individuality of each cru and the character of the Mediterranean landscape.

Until the estate’s dedicated winery is completed, the wines are vinified by the Terre Nere team, continuing the uncompromising pursuit of quality that has defined Marco’s work on Etna for more than two decades.