Castello della Solicchiata, Medieval castle near Adrano, Italy
Castello della Solicchiata is a castle near Adrano built from local volcanic stone from Mount Etna's slopes. The structure features a moat crossed by a drawbridge and was constructed entirely from materials quarried nearby.
Baron Felice Spitaleri di Muglia founded the castle in 1875 as a wine production center in the Solicchiata area. From its start, the facility was designed to focus entirely on winemaking and grape processing.
The castle served as a hub for Sicilian wine production, where local traditions met European techniques in the same rooms. The buildings still show traces of their purpose, with spaces designed specifically for processing and storing wine.
The castle sits on Mount Etna's slopes at a moderate elevation, which means cooler temperatures than lower valleys. Visitors should dress in layers and check local conditions before heading up, as weather can change quickly in mountain areas.
The castle is recognized as the birthplace of one of Italy's first Bordeaux blends, made with French grape varieties like Cabernet Franc, Merlot, and Cabernet Sauvignon. This innovation shows how local producers in the late 1800s began adopting European winemaking traditions to suit the island's volcanic terrain.
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