The value of time and commitment in our toast at Tenute Nicosia
23
Dec 2025
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Every year, at the traditional lunch with Tenute Nicosia that precedes Christmas, we have the privilege of tasting the Sosta Tre Santi sparkling wines. A toast that is not merely a ritual, but an ideal journey to the slopes of Mount Etna, where this historic Sicilian estate has carried forward, for five generations, a vision shaped by passion, respect for the land, and continuous innovation.
And it is precisely when speaking about sparkling wines that a fundamental theme emerges: the distinction between a great harvest and a great vintage. A great harvest does not automatically translate into a great vintage, because the true quality of a millesime is defined only over time. Often, truly outstanding vintages reveal themselves as such only after years, when the wine has had the opportunity to evolve and show its true nature.
Founded in 1898, the estate has been able to transform the power of the volcano and the richness of lava soils into wines that tell the authentic soul of Sicily. Its labels – from Etna DOC selections to traditional-method sparkling wines such as the celebrated Sosta Tre Santi – are born from vineyards cultivated among the terraces of Monte Gorna and other highly suited areas of the island, where indigenous and international grape varieties find an ideal terroir. The sparkling wines brought to the table each year are the result of this balance between tradition and modernity, between the regenerative force of the volcano and the artisanal care that defines every stage of production. A glass of Nicosia is not just wine: it is a story of family, territory, and Sicilian excellence.
When a vintage is truly great, time does not diminish its intensity. More often, it lightens, refines itself, and it is precisely this transformation that brings greater precision, finesse, and elegance. It is a process that particularly fascinates those who favour more vertical, taut, and vibrant wines, capable of shaping themselves over time into something increasingly subtle and refined. It is not something you can predict: you understand it only through repeated tasting and patience.
At the same time, there is extensive experimental work on ageing periods. Even in Sicily and on Etna, where the tradition of sparkling wines is younger, growth is evident and ongoing.
At Nicosia, wines initially conceived for 36 months on the lees are now reaching 60 months. In these tastings we sample cuvées that already have several years behind them and show remarkable resilience, a sign of an increasingly conscious technical journey.
From a technical standpoint, the relationship between time on the lees and post-disgorgement ageing is crucial. In many cases, the factor that has the greatest impact is precisely the duration of lees ageing. This is why different timeframes are now being explored – 36, 40, and up to 60 months. The post-disgorgement period remains, however, a decisive parameter, one that must always be interpreted in harmony with the level of evolution achieved during lees ageing.
Experimentation is required, as is method. This makes the journey slower, but also more stimulating, because every step forward is the result of study, dialogue, and shared growth.
Ultimately, a vintage should never be judged immediately. Time decides. Only through repeated tasting, patience, and constant observation does a wine truly reveal its greatness. And this is also why our annual toast with the sparkling wines of Tenute Nicosia takes on a special meaning: it celebrates not only a wine, but a path of research, evolution, and identity.
Tasting Notes
Sosta Tre Santi, Carricante Brut Traditional Method – Harvest 2021 – Disgorged March 2025 Notes of talc, iris, and Rossana candy, with a soft hint of cream. On the palate, a fine bitter-citrus entry that spreads like droplets of vapour. Vertical and taut, with a floral touch and a subtle vegetal hint that underscores its youth. A balsamic, fresh, still green finish: a wine very much in its growth phase.
Sosta Tre Santi, Carricante Brut Traditional Method – Harvest 2020 – over 40 months – Disgorged March 2025 Bread crust, pear juice, and chamomile. On the palate it settles naturally, from the tongue through to the palate, gradually widening to envelop the whole mouth. Hints of dried fruit, minerality, and persistence.
Sosta Tre Santi, Carricante Sessantamesi Harvest 2019 – Disgorged 2025 Bread crust interwoven with a decisive bitter-citrus note and a touch of cooked sugar. The citrus character becomes more saline, leaving a noble bitterness and a slight central spiciness, creating an enveloping gustatory frame.
Sosta Tre Santi, Etna DOC Brut Traditional Method – Harvest 2020 – 40 months – Disgorged 2024 A fresh, immediate profile: iris, citrus, a clean and linear sensation. An essential, direct wine, with a clear aromatic expression and a coherent palate.
Sosta Tre Santi, Etna DOC Millesimato 2018 Brut Traditional Method – Nerello Mascalese – Disgorged 2022 Nerello Mascalese changes register: almond notes, vibrant freshness, clean citrus. On the palate, dynamic, vibrant, in constant motion.
Sosta Tre Santi, Etna DOC Sessantamesi Brut Traditional Method – Nerello Mascalese – Harvest 2018 – Disgorged 2023 A wine that carries with it the depth of time and grape variety. Evolved notes interwoven with the structure of Nerello, for a broad, authoritative sip.
Lunch at the Osteria of Cantine Nicosia
The gastronomic journey is a tribute to the products of Sicily, told through the cuisine of the Osteria of Cantine Nicosia and the attentive hand of chef Salvo Baudo, who builds each dish as a piece of a single, coherent narrative.
The experience opens with the Egg Cappuccino, where Marsala cream, crispy pancetta, Nebrodi provola foam, and black bread crumble come together in a balance that evokes home and tradition.
It continues with the Tortello, filled with veal cheek and wrapped in a sauce of charred red onion, a dish that brings together sweetness, depth, and a subtle smoky note. The Nebrodi black pork, crispy in a carbonara-style sauce, brings to the table the island’s most rustic and savory side, enhanced by precise cooking and a sauce that envelops without weighing down the palate.
To close, the Sicilian cannolo with spicy chocolate cream, a finale that combines sweetness, intensity, and a gentle hint of spice, leading the palate back to Sicily’s deepest, most volcanic sensations.
On a day when the weather changed like a wine in evolution – sun, rain, wind, hail – we followed a tasting path that shows how commitment, when constant and shared, can truly turn into identity, continuity, and value.
