The Granddaughter's Return & the Volcanic Vine
Sonia Gambino is a young oenologist and winemaker who, in the spring of 2020, left a grueling office job in Milan to move to Marsala, Sicily, to work with acclaimed natural winemaker Nino Barraco. Three months in, the pandemic shut the country down — and Sonia found herself unemployed, stranded, and forced to rethink everything. She returned to her father's hometown of Maletto, a village of 3,500 souls on the northwest slope of Mount Etna, and moved into the house that once belonged to her grandfather Peppe "Gustinello" — who, as fate would have it, had once owned the village palmento, the traditional communal wine press where generations of Maletto farmers brought their grapes to be transformed into wine. What began as a pandemic retreat became a calling. An old farmer named Don Vincenzo offered her his vineyard. The village whispered that Gustinello's granddaughter had returned to make wine. And within weeks, salvaged concrete tanks and demijohns began mysteriously appearing at her door. Gustinella was born — not from a business plan, but from serendipity, community, and the volcanic soil of Etna's highest town. Today, Sonia farms or collaborates on a dozen high-altitude parcels — less than 1.5 hectares in total — planted with ancient indigenous alberello-trained vines at 1,000 to 1,300 meters above sea level, producing around 6,000 to 7,000 bottles annually of natural wines that capture an unseen side of Etna: delicate, elegant, volcanic, and alive.
The Milanese Escape & the Palmento Legacy
Sonia Gambino was born in Bronte, Sicily, but raised in Milan — the bustling northern capital of Italian fashion and finance, a world of deadlines, offices, and fluorescent lights. She studied viticulture and oenology, and after completing her education, she gained experience working in New World wineries — places far from the volcanic slopes of her Sicilian roots. But the call of the vine was persistent, and in early 2020, she made a decision that would change her life: she left Milan, left the office, and moved to Marsala, on the western tip of Sicily, to work alongside Nino Barraco — one of Italy's most respected natural winemakers, known for his pure, soulful expressions of Sicilian terroir.
The plan was simple: learn from a master, work the land, make wine. But the world had other plans. Three months into her new life, COVID-19 shut Italy down. Borders closed. Jobs evaporated. Sonia found herself unemployed before her apprenticeship had truly begun, stranded on an island that suddenly felt both vast and claustrophobic. With nowhere else to go, she did what her instincts told her: she went home. Not to Milan — but to Maletto, her father's hometown on the northwest slope of Mount Etna, a village she knew from childhood visits and family stories, a place of strawberries, silence, and the ever-present shadow of the volcano.
She moved into the house that had belonged to her grandfather, Peppe "Gustinello" — a man whose nickname would become the name of her winery. Gustinello had owned the village palmento, the traditional stone wine press where, in harvest time, the farmers of Maletto would bring their grapes to be crushed and fermented into wine. It was a communal institution, a kind of ancestor of the modern cooperative winery — a place where the village's agricultural life centered, where grapes became wine, and where the social fabric of Maletto was woven. The palmento had closed decades ago, but its spirit lingered in the village's memory. And now, almost forty years later, Gustinello's granddaughter had returned.
The story of how Gustinella truly began is almost too perfect to be true. One afternoon, an old local farmer named Don Vincenzo — struggling to keep up with his small vineyard — asked Sonia if she might be interested in taking a look at his plot. She did. And what she found astonished her: a vineyard planted with Grenache, Grecanico, and more than fifteen other lesser-known varieties, some still unidentified — grapes completely different from the Nerello Mascalese and Carricante that dominate the rest of Mount Etna. Don Vincenzo made her an offer: she could make wine from his grapes, on one condition — that she leave him 365 liters of wine per year, one liter for every day. The deal was struck. The two of them cleared out a corner of Don Vincenzo's abandoned garage, and Gustinella was born.
But the story didn't end there. In Maletto, everyone talks. Word spread that Gustinello's granddaughter was making wine. And within weeks, something magical began to happen: locals started appearing at her door, offering disused wine-making containers, concrete tanks, demijohns — equipment that had been sitting in barns and cellars for years, suddenly finding new purpose. Sonia renovated the garage of her parents' house, turning it into a small but perfectly equipped winery with steel vats. She began taking over more parcels — some purchased, some managed through symbolic agreements where landowners entrusted their land in exchange for wine for family consumption. Today, she farms or collaborates on a dozen vineyards, each with its own personality, its own varieties, its own story. The palmento of her grandfather has reopened, in a new form — and the wine of Maletto flows again.
"I like to think that in a certain sense, my grandfather's palmento has reopened, in a new form."
— Sonia Gambino, on the legacy of Gustinello
Maletto, Mount Etna & the Highest Town on the Volcano
Gustinella is located in Maletto, the highest town on Mount Etna — approximately 1,000 meters above sea level, with vineyards stretching up to 1,300 meters. It sits on the northwestern slope of the volcano, between Etna Park and the Nebrodi Park, outside the DOC Etna production area. Maletto is not the Etna of glossy wine tourism and grand estates; it is a quiet, peaceful village of 3,500 inhabitants, known for its strawberry production and its deeply rooted agricultural culture. There are no large wineries here, no tourist buses, no tasting rooms with panoramic views. Just scattered familial vineyards, ancient alberello-trained vines, and a community that still lives by the rhythms of the land.
The terroir of Maletto is unique — naturally volcanic, but also unusually dynamic. The soil composition changes with every eruption, as volcanic ash and lava flows reshape the landscape, creating a mosaic of mineral profiles within a single hillside. The volcanic ashes work almost as a natural fertilizer for the vines, making organic farming relatively easy — the soil is naturally rich in minerals, and the extreme conditions discourage many pests and diseases. The altitude — between 1,000 and 1,300 meters — creates a brutal thermal excursion between day and night, preserving acidity and developing intense phenolic character in the grapes. The result is wines that are delicate and elegant rather than powerful and structured — wines of freshness, minerality, and volcanic soul.
What makes Maletto's viticulture truly special, however, is its isolation. While the rest of Mount Etna has shifted toward the internationally recognized varieties — Nerello Mascalese, Nerello Cappuccio, Carricante — the extreme weather and high altitudes of Maletto made it difficult for these relatively newcomer grapes to ripen consistently. Instead, the village preserved its own indigenous varieties: Granazzu (the local name for Grenache), Grecanico Dorato (a rare mutation of Grecanico found only in this area), and more than fifteen other lesser-known or unidentified varieties that have been passed down through generations of farmers. Some of these grapes have no names in modern ampelography; they are simply "the white one from Don Vincenzo's corner" or "the red one from the upper terrace." This is not a vineyard of monoculture and clones; it is a living archive of Etna's viticultural biodiversity.
The vines are trained in the ancient Etna alberello system — individual bush vines, each supported by a single wooden stake, planted close together on narrow terraces carved into the volcanic slopes. This is the traditional method of Etna viticulture, developed over centuries to maximize sun exposure, minimize wind damage, and make the most of the limited flat land on a mountainside. The alberello system is labor-intensive: all work must be done by hand — pruning, canopy management, harvest — as machinery cannot navigate the narrow terraces and steep inclines. But it is also the system that produces the most expressive, terroir-driven wines, as each vine is an individual, responding to its own microclimate, its own soil, its own exposure. At Gustinella, all vineyard work is performed manually, without any use of chemicals. The farming is organic by default — the volcanic soil, the high altitude, and the ancient farming traditions of Maletto make chemical intervention unnecessary and undesirable.
Highest town on Mount Etna, ~1,000m above sea level. Vineyards at 1,000–1,300m. Between Etna Park and Nebrodi Park. Outside DOC Etna area. Quiet village of 3,500 inhabitants. Known for strawberry production and agricultural culture. No large wineries — just scattered familial vineyards. Continental mountain climate with brutal diurnal temperature variation. Volcanic soils that change with every eruption.
Ancient Etna bush vine training. Individual vines supported by single wooden stakes. Planted close together on narrow terraces. Maximizes sun exposure, minimizes wind damage. All work done by hand — pruning, canopy management, harvest. Labor-intensive but maximally expressive. Each vine responds to its own microclimate, soil, exposure. The traditional method that has defined Etna viticulture for centuries.
Granazzu (local Grenache) — present since mid-1800s, brought from France during Duchy of Nelson. Grecanico Dorato — rare mutation of Grecanico, found only in this area of Etna. Plus Minnella, Albanella, Moscatella, Madama Bianca, Tinto Nero, Nerello Mascalese, and more than 15 other unidentified varieties. A living archive of Etna's viticultural biodiversity, preserved in isolation at high altitude.
All vineyard work manual, no chemicals. Volcanic ash acts as natural fertilizer. Extreme altitude and climate discourage pests. Familial vineyards farmed naturally for generations. Symbolic agreements with landowners — land entrusted in exchange for family wine. Community-based, sustainable, deeply rooted in Maletto's agricultural culture. The palmento spirit reborn in a new generation.
Natural Methods & Maniacal Cleanliness
At Gustinella, the winemaking philosophy is deceptively simple: natural, low-intervention, and carried out with what Sonia describes as "almost maniacal attention to detail." The production process is entirely manual and as low-intervention as possible. Vinifications are delicate, respectful of the grapes, and conducted without the addition of any oenological products — no cultured yeasts, no enzymes, no fining agents, no filtration, no added sulfites. The wines ferment spontaneously with indigenous yeasts, and each cuvée is crafted to express the specific character of its vineyard, its varieties, and its vintage. Because of the small volumes, Sonia makes all vinifications in a mix of salvaged and new containers: mini concrete tanks, demijohns, and stainless steel vats. The result is a portfolio of live, vibrant, authentic wines that capture the volcanic freshness and mysterious scents of Maletto — an unseen side of Etna that everyone should discover.
Sonia's approach is guided by a deep respect for tradition and an equally deep curiosity about the unknown. She doesn't blend everything together; instead, she vinifies each vineyard separately, exploring the diversity of grapes that Maletto offers. "I couldn't mix everything," she says. "The diversity of the grapes was too fascinating not to explore." This philosophy has led to a portfolio where each wine is tied to a specific vineyard, a specific story, a specific set of varieties. The Vino di Confine — the first wine she ever made — is an homage to Don Vincenzo's vineyard, a field blend of white and red grapes vinified together as was done in old Maletto. The Jungìmmune wines — whose name means "let's gather" or "let's reunite" in Sicilian dialect — celebrate the communal spirit of the project, produced in three versions (Bianco, Rosato, Rosso) from different vineyard selections. Each wine is a chapter in the unfolding story of Gustinella.
"Vino di Confine" — The Symbol of Maletto: The Vino di Confine is Gustinella's founding wine — the first cuvée Sonia ever made, and the one that embodies the spirit of the project more than any other. It is obtained from grapes grown in Don Vincenzo's small single vineyard at 1,100 meters, where century-old vines are cultivated in the ancient Etna alberello system. About ten different varieties — both white and red — are co-harvested and vinified together, as per the local tradition of Maletto. The manual destemming is performed with the help of a perforated wooden frame, an ancient tool that gently separates the berries from the stems. The grapes are then delicately pressed and macerated for 5 to 7 days, depending on the vintage. Once fermentation is complete, the wine moves to cement vats and demijohns, where it ages for about ten months before bottling. In the glass, it is a wine of elegance and earth — light to medium-bodied with bright red fruit, dark berry notes, herbal undertones, and a hint of licorice. The palate is plush and aromatic, with velvety tannins, soft ripe cherry acidity, and a long, savoury finish. Notes of salted plum, seawater, lemon peel, burnt caramel, and kefir add layers of complexity. It is a wine that speaks of Maletto's history, of Don Vincenzo's generosity, and of the ancient tradition of field blending that once defined Etna viticulture. Serve at 14–16°C. ~€22–€30 / ~$24–$34.
"Jungìmmune Bianco" — The White of Gathering: The Jungìmmune Bianco is Gustinella's flagship white — a selection of indigenous white grape varieties grown in the high-altitude vineyards of Maletto, approximately 1,200 meters above sea level. The heart of this wine is Grecanico Dorato — a rare mutation of Grecanico that originates exclusively from this area of Etna, found on old vines that have been preserved in Maletto's isolation. The fruit is harvested and vinified together with small quantities of other local varieties — Minnella, Albanella, Moscatella, and some yet to be identified — creating a field blend that captures the full aromatic spectrum of Maletto's white grapes. The grapes are fully destemmed and lightly crushed, then left on the skins for 3 days to extract color, texture, and phenolic complexity. Fermentation occurs naturally and exclusively in stainless steel vats. The wine is then raised for about ten months on its fine lees, developing creaminess and depth, followed by a further six months in bottle before release. In the glass, it offers notes of bruised golden apple, fleshy yellow peach, wet stones, sea salt, jasmine, and chamomile. The palate is light and lively, with citrus, green apple, and stone fruit, rounded out by subtle herbal notes and a gentle saline finish. It is a wine of volcanic freshness and Mediterranean sunshine — the perfect expression of high-altitude Etna whites. Serve at 10–12°C. ~€20–€28 / ~$22–$32.
"Jungìmmune Rosato" — The Pink of the Woodland: The Jungìmmune Rosato is Gustinella's most charming and community-driven wine — produced from a single vineyard located at almost 1,300 meters above sea level, surrounded by woodland, the highest vineyard in the Gustinella portfolio. Approximately ten different indigenous grape varieties grow on this plot, co-harvested and directly pressed in stainless steel vats to ferment spontaneously. The ageing is punctuated by bâtonnage — regular stirring of the lees — to confer a sense of smoothness and balance the pronounced acidity that comes from the extreme altitude. The ageing is carried out entirely in stainless steel and lasts about ten months before bottling. In the glass, it is a delicate pink with copper reflections. The nose offers wild strawberry, rose petal, citrus zest, and a hint of mountain herbs. The palate is light-bodied, with crisp acidity, gentle texture, and a long, refreshing, mineral finish. It is a wine that embodies the communal spirit of the project — the "let's gather" ethos that gave it its name — and the extraordinary freshness that only 1,300 meters of altitude can provide. Serve well chilled at 8–10°C. Drink within 1–2 years. ~€20–€28 / ~$22–$32.
"Jungìmmune Rosso" — The Red of the Duchy: The Jungìmmune Rosso is Gustinella's most structured and historically resonant red — a wine that connects Maletto to a surprising chapter of Sicilian history. The main variety is Grenazzu — the local name for Grenache — which has been present on this Etna slope since the mid-1800s, brought from France during the Duchy of Nelson, of which the town of Maletto was a part. (Horatio Nelson, the British naval commander and Duke, attempted to establish the area as a winemaking region, planting varieties that would thrive in the volcanic soil.) Along with Grenazzu, tiny quantities of grapes from century-old vines of Tinto Nero, Nerello Mascalese, and other minor unidentified varieties are harvested. The grapes are hand-picked, destemmed, and gently crushed in vats, where they macerate on the skins for 28 days. After racking and a light pressing, the wine is raised for about twelve months in a combination of concrete tanks and demijohns, followed by a minimum of six months in bottle before release. In the glass, it is medium-bodied with bright red fruit, spice, and a distinct volcanic minerality. The tannins are fine and integrated, the acidity vibrant, and the finish long and savoury. It is a wine that proves that Grenache — a grape more commonly associated with the Rhône or Sardinia — has found a unique and compelling home on the slopes of Etna. Serve at 16–18°C. ~€22–€30 / ~$24–$34.
Vessels & The Cellar: Gustinella's winery is a converted garage — humble, functional, and perfectly suited to the small-scale, artisanal nature of the project. Because of the tiny volumes (around 6,000 to 7,000 bottles annually), Sonia makes all vinifications in a mix of containers: salvaged mini concrete tanks, demijohns, and stainless steel vats. The concrete tanks provide slow, gentle fermentation and a touch of mineral complexity. The demijohns — large glass vessels — allow for careful observation and micro-oxygenation. The stainless steel vats preserve freshness and purity, especially for the white and rosé wines. Cleanliness is paramount: Sonia maintains an almost maniacal attention to detail in the cellar, ensuring that the natural fermentations proceed without contamination and that the wines develop cleanly and authentically. There are no barrels, no fancy equipment, no technological crutches — just careful, attentive, hands-on winemaking that lets the grapes and the volcano speak for themselves.
"Vino di Confine" — "Ten Different Varieties from Century-Old Alberello Vines at 1,100m — Co-Vinified as in Old Maletto, 5–7 Days Maceration, Aged in Cement & Demijohns — The Wine That Started It All"
The Vino di Confine is Gustinella's founding wine and its most soulful expression — the cuvée that encapsulates everything Sonia Gambino believes about natural winemaking, community, and the forgotten vineyards of Maletto. It is not merely a field blend; it is a testament to the generosity of Don Vincenzo, the revival of ancient Etna traditions, and the transformative power of serendipity. The name — "Wine of the Boundary" or "Border Wine" — evokes the edge of the known world, the frontier between cultivation and wilderness, between the old ways and the new. It is a wine made from the vineyard where Gustinella began, and every bottle carries the memory of that first agreement: 365 liters for Don Vincenzo, one for each day of the year.
The viticulture is organic and entirely manual. The vineyard sits at 1,100 meters on the northwest slope of Mount Etna, cultivated in the ancient alberello system — individual bush vines on narrow terraces, each supported by a single wooden stake. The vines are century-old, gnarled and deep-rooted, planted with a field mix of approximately ten different varieties — white and red grapes growing together as they have for generations. Some of these varieties have names: Grecanico Dorato, Grenache, perhaps Minnella or Tinto Nero. Others are simply known by their place in the vineyard — "the white one by the stone wall," "the red one from the upper row." This is not a vineyard designed by an agronomist; it is a vineyard designed by time, by farmers, by the volcanic soil itself. All work is done by hand: pruning, canopy management, harvest. No chemicals touch these vines. The volcanic ash provides natural fertility, and the extreme altitude keeps pests at bay.
In the cellar, the grapes are hand-harvested and brought to the winery — Sonia's converted garage, equipped with the salvaged tanks and demijohns that the village magically provided. The destemming is done manually, using a perforated wooden frame — an ancient tool that gently separates berries from stems without crushing the fruit. The grapes are then delicately pressed and macerated for 5 to 7 days, depending on the vintage. Fermentation proceeds spontaneously with indigenous yeasts, without temperature control, without additions, without manipulation. Once fermentation is complete, the wine is racked to cement vats and demijohns, where it ages for about ten months, developing texture, complexity, and a gentle integration of its diverse components. The wine is then bottled without filtration or fining, and released after further bottle ageing.
In the glass, it is a wine of elegance and earth — light to medium-bodied, with a color that shifts between ruby and garnet depending on the light. The nose is complex and inviting: bright red cherry, dark blackberry, wild herbs, and a distinct licorice note that speaks of the volcanic soil. There are hints of salted plum and seawater — a saline, maritime character that seems impossible at 1,100 meters above sea level, yet is unmistakably present. The palate is plush and aromatic, with velvety tannins that caress rather than grip, soft ripe cherry acidity that provides freshness and lift, and a long, savoury finish that seems to echo the mountain itself — the volcanic terraces, the ancient vines, the community that made it possible, and the young woman who had the courage to say yes to Don Vincenzo's offer. Notes of lemon peel, burnt caramel, and kefir add layers of intrigue and complexity, revealing new dimensions with every sip.
The Vino di Confine is a wine of the table and the heart — it pairs beautifully with braised beef, grilled pork, aged pecorino, or simply with good bread and olive oil as the afternoon light filters through the alberello vines of Maletto. Serve at 14–16°C. It is meant to be enjoyed with curiosity and gratitude, though it will develop beautifully over 3–5 years in the cellar. Every bottle is a testament to the power of community, the beauty of forgotten vineyards, and the enduring magic of wines that honor the palmento, the alberello, and the fearless spirit of Sonia Gambino. ~€22–€30 / ~$24–$34.
The Gustinella Range
Sonia Gambino produces approximately 6,000 to 7,000 bottles annually from a dozen high-altitude parcels in Maletto, Mount Etna, Sicily — less than 1.5 hectares in total. All wines are made with natural, low-intervention methods: organic farming, hand harvesting, spontaneous fermentation with indigenous yeasts, and no added oenological products. The portfolio includes four core wines, each tied to a specific vineyard and story: Vino di Confine (the founding field blend), Jungìmmune Bianco (the white of gathering), Jungìmmune Rosato (the pink of the woodland), and Jungìmmune Rosso (the red of the Duchy). Each wine is vinified separately to explore the fascinating diversity of Maletto's indigenous grapes. Prices are approximate and in USD/EUR.
Gustinella is a natural wine project in Maletto, on the northwest slope of Mount Etna, Sicily. Founded in 2020 by Sonia Gambino, a young oenologist from Milan with deep family roots in Maletto. The project is named after her grandfather Peppe "Gustinello," who once owned the village palmento (traditional communal wine press). Sonia farms or collaborates on approximately a dozen high-altitude parcels (less than 1.5 hectares total) at 1,000–1,300 meters, planted with ancient indigenous alberello-trained vines. The vineyards are worked entirely by hand, without chemicals, following organic practices. The portfolio includes Vino di Confine (founding field blend of ~10 varieties), Jungìmmune Bianco (Grecanico Dorato and indigenous whites), Jungìmmune Rosato (high-altitude field blend), and Jungìmmune Rosso (Grenache-based red). All wines are made with spontaneous fermentation, indigenous yeasts, and no added oenological products. Production: ~6,000–7,000 bottles annually. Sonia lives in Maletto with her partner Federico, an agronomist and pistachio producer from Bronte. The winery welcomes visitors for tastings and tours. Website: gustinella.it. Instagram: @gustinella_wine. Distributed by Sager and Wine, Leon and Son, OFF GRID, Flatiron Wines, Eataly Vino, and select natural wine retailers worldwide.
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Sager & Wine (Importer & Distributor, Europe)
Carries Gustinella and offers online sales.
👉 sagerandwine.com/gustinellaLeon & Son Wine & Spirits (USA / International)
Stocks Gustinella wines like Vino di Confine.
👉 leonandsonwine.com – GustinellaRoy’s Wines (UK)
Lists Gustinella among its producers.
👉 royswines.co.uk – GustinellaLieu-dit (Denmark / Northern Europe)
Online natural wine shop, shipping across EU.
👉 lieu-dit.dk – GustinellaDelef Fine Wine (Belgium / Europe)
Retailer with Gustinella Sicilia wines.
👉 delefwine.com – GustinellaThe Wine Store Marlboro (USA)
Features Sonia Gambino and Gustinella in their catalog.
👉 thewinestoremarlboro.com – Gustinella