Sciaranuova (Etna Contrada)

Sciaranuova sits in the Randazzo area on Etna's northern slope at roughly 730 to 740 metres of elevation. The contrada is in the same broad north-slope altitude band as Santo Spirito to its west, but the Randazzo position places it slightly further north of the Castiglione di Sicilia cluster of major contrade. The most distinctive landscape feature is the surrounding chestnut and oak woodland: the Tasca holding totals about 14 hectares but only 4.9 hectares are planted to vine, with the remaining 9-plus hectares left as chestnut groves and forest. This forested context gives the contrada a markedly different visual signature from the open terraced contrade like Calderara Sottana or Santo Spirito. The Etna DOC altitude limits exclude some of the higher Sciaranuova-area parcels, which is why the Tascante Eruzione 1614 cuvées sit outside the DOC framework as Sicilia DOC bottlings rather than Etna DOC.

• Northern Etna contrada in the Randazzo area at 730 to 740 metres elevation
• In the same broad altitude band as Santo Spirito but slightly further north of the Castiglione di Sicilia cluster
• Vineyards surrounded by chestnut and oak woodland; Tasca's 14-hectare holding has only 4.9 ha planted
• Some Sciaranuova-area parcels sit outside the Etna DOC altitude limits, releasing under the Sicilia DOC umbrella as Tascante's Eruzione 1614 cuvées

The Sciaranuova substrate is layered: at the surface, sand and crumbled rock derived from the Solicchiata formation, dating from roughly 1,000 to 6,000 years ago, sit on a deeper layer of more solid rock from 24,000 to 15,000 years ago. Across the broader contrada the lava-flow ages span 4,000 to 40,000 years, giving Sciaranuova one of the more chronologically diverse substrates in the north-slope catalogue. The Tasca cellar work refers to two principal lava formations under the contrada vineyards, and the Eruzione 1614 cuvée is named specifically for the historic 1614 lava flow whose deposits define part of the estate's substrate. The combination of younger surface volcanic material and older bedrock produces wines with the appellation's characteristic mineral-driven structure plus a layered tannic profile that reflects the chronological depth of the soil.

• Layered substrate: surface sand and crumbled rock from Solicchiata formation (1,000 to 6,000 years ago)
• Deeper layer of solid rock from 24,000 to 15,000 years ago; broader contrada spans 4,000 to 40,000 years
• Eruzione 1614 cuvée named for the historic 1614 lava flow whose deposits define part of the estate substrate
• Younger surface volcanic over older bedrock produces layered tannic profile reflecting chronological depth

Sciaranuova Nerello Mascalese reads as the more structurally complex and finesse-driven north-slope expression, distinct from the structural depth of Calderara Sottana and the lifted floral Rampante. The wines tend toward red cherry, dried rose, savoury herbal notes, and the appellation's high acidity, with finely grained tannin that integrates over time. The Tascante Sciaranuova V.V. (Vigna Vecchia) from 1961 plantings is widely cited as one of the more finesse-driven and complex single-contrada Etna Rossos in the modern catalogue, with strong aging potential and a layered tertiary register that reflects both old-vine material and the layered substrate. The Eruzione 1614 Carricante from Sciaranuova-area vineyards (outside DOC limits) shows north-slope Carricante at a higher altitude and on the 1614 lava substrate, producing a structured, mineral-driven white with the same finesse-over-power orientation. The Eruzione 1614 Nerello Mascalese is the parallel high-altitude red expression.

• Structurally complex and finesse-driven north-slope Nerello: red cherry, dried rose, savoury herbal, high acidity
• Tascante Sciaranuova V.V. (1961 plantings) widely cited for finesse and complexity with strong aging potential
• Eruzione 1614 Carricante from Sciaranuova-area: structured, mineral-driven white, finesse-over-power
• Eruzione 1614 Nerello Mascalese is the parallel high-altitude red; both released as Sicilia DOC due to altitude exceeding Etna DOC limits

Tasca d'Almerita's Tenuta Tascante is the contrada's defining producer. Alberto Tasca acquired property at Sciaranuova and the adjacent Pianodario contrada in 2007, founded Tenuta Tascante that same year, and bottled the first vintage in 2008. The Tasca holding at Sciaranuova totals about 14 hectares with 4.9 hectares planted to vine; the rest is chestnut and oak woodland. The Sciaranuova bottling structure includes the standard Sciaranuova Etna Rosso DOC and the Sciaranuova V.V. (Vigna Vecchia) from vines planted in 1961. The original planting was bush-trained and later readapted to spurred cordon, with the V.V. cuvée drawing from this old-vine sector. Tasca's Eruzione 1614 cuvées, both Carricante and Nerello Mascalese, hail from estate vineyards in the Sciaranuova-area at altitudes just outside Etna DOC limits and release under the Sicilia DOC umbrella; the cuvée name references the 1614 lava flow that defines part of the substrate. Tenuta Tascante sits within the broader Tasca d'Almerita house structure (founded 1830, primary estate at Regaleali in central Sicily), but operates as a distinct Etna project.