Girolamo Russo Wine Dinner
Giuseppe Russo, Winemaker
Explore the Wines of Etna with Giuseppe Russo – An Exclusive Wine Dinner featuring wines from Girolamo Russo.
On May 13, 2025, we invite you to explore one of the most fascinating wine regions in the world — Mount Etna — with Giuseppe Russo, the artisan behind Girolamo Russo. Paired with a five-course dinner by Chef Todd Schafer, this evening is designed not just for enjoyment, but for true discovery.
For those who know, Etna is no longer a secret. For those who don’t yet — welcome to one of wine’s most thrilling frontiers. This evening will not only be a meal — it will be a deep dive into one of the world's most exciting wine landscapes, with Giuseppe Russo himself as your guide.
May 13, 2025$150 Per Guest
6:30 PM ** joined along with special guest and winemaker, Giuseppe Russo.
The Geography of Mount Etna: Where Fire Meets Vine
Mount Etna rises over 11,000 feet above sea level on Sicily’s eastern coast — the tallest active volcano in Europe and one of the most geologically dynamic places on Earth.
The northern slope of Etna, where Girolamo Russo farms, is especially prized for viticulture. Here, the vineyards sit between 600 to 1000 meters in elevation, benefiting from:
Significant diurnal shifts (hot days, cool nights) that preserve acidity and aromatic complexity.
Volcanic soils rich in minerals like basalt, pumice, and ash, imparting a distinct mineral backbone to the wines.
Proximity to the Ionian Sea, which brings cooling breezes and occasional mist, softening the Sicilian sun and adding freshness.
Each eruption over thousands of years has left its mark, creating a patchwork of soils and microclimates. Even neighboring parcels can yield dramatically different expressions of Nerello Mascalese and Carricante, making Mount Etna one of the most terroir-driven wine regions in the world.
The Terroir of Etna: Ancient, Alive, and Elemental
Mount Etna is Europe's largest active volcano, and its soils are unlike any other — a mosaic of black lava rock, pumice, sand, and ancient decomposed flows layered over millennia.
Viticulture here isn't easy:
Altitude: Vines climb up to 1000 meters, creating dramatic diurnal shifts that retain acidity and finesse.
Soil Diversity: Each Contrada (local vineyard area) tells its own story, with varying mineral content depending on historic eruptions.
Climate: Despite being in Sicily, the northern slope (where Girolamo Russo farms) sees cooler temperatures, often delaying harvest into late October or November — a rarity for southern Italy.
This results in wines of bright tension, high aromatics, and haunting minerality — more reminiscent of Burgundy or Piedmont than what many expect from Sicily.
Giuseppe Russo: A Winemaker Rooted in Heritage
Raised in the shadow of Etna in Passopisciaro, Giuseppe Russo was a musician before he became a winemaker. When his father passed away, he returned to the family vineyards, determined to honor his legacy — thus founding the Girolamo Russo estate in 2005.
Today, Russo farms approximately 18 hectares across some of Etna’s most celebrated Contrade:
San Lorenzo
Feudo di Mezzo
Feudo
Calderara Sottana
He practices certified organic farming, embracing low intervention both in the vineyard and the cellar. Fermentations are spontaneous with native yeasts, and aging occurs mainly in large, neutral oak botti to avoid masking the volcanic purity of the fruit.
His philosophy? Let the Contrada speak. Russo’s wines are snapshots of time and place, bottling the nuances of each site and vintage without over-extraction or heavy oak influence.
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LIMITED SEATS AVAILABLE
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