Manciaciumi

Dario Sciuto is the protagonist of the Sicilian Manciaciumi project, born in 2022 with the intention of recovering old vineyards on Etna, preserving and enhancing them in the name of craftsmanship. Originally from San Giovanni la Punta, a Catanese municipality located on the slopes of Mount Etna, Dario decided to embark on this beautiful adventure with the support of two partners, Giovanni and Leonardo. Before that he was oriented towards something else entirely, with a degree in economics in his pocket and a subsequent experience of a few years in Australia in the world of catering. Here Dario began to get involved in brewing, deciding to enrol at the University of Gastronomic Sciences in Pollenzo to deepen his knowledge of the sector. After working at Birra del Borgo with current partner Leonardo Di Vincenzo and becoming master brewer in Singapore, Dario was then stuck in Catania because of Covid. Amidst the discomfort came an opportunity: to manage an old vineyard on Mount Etna with his friend and partner Giovanni Nicita. When the pandemic ended and amateur production was suspended, Dario was nevertheless convinced that this was his path. So, with the support of the guys at Masseria La Cattiva he continued winemaking, officially starting the Manciaciumi project in 2022. The Sicilian dialect term 'manciaciumi' translates as 'itch', indicating a person who cannot stay calm, as if suffering from an incessant itch, and who must therefore invest his energy in something, a situation that reflects Dario's personality.

Under the Manciaciumi project, following the principles of organic farming, Dario works around 3.5 hectares of very old vines, rooted in Etna's volcanic soils. The vines, represented by Nerello Mascalese, Nerello Cappuccio, Alicante, Carricante and Minnella vines, are planted partly free-range at altitudes of up to 1,000 metres above sea level. The oenological approach involves the exclusion of additives and invasive manipulations, with spontaneous fermentation and the use of a wide range of materials in vinification and ageing, such as steel, fibreglass, old wood, terracotta and glass demijohns.

Manciaciumi's wines reflect both Dario's eclectic and non-conformist character and the volcanic essence of the territory, revealing a new oenological face of Etna.