A new London tasting dedicated to Sicily’s Mount Etna has set out to “take the region to the next level” in the UK, founder Francesca Cioce told Drinks Retailing at last week’s Saatchi Gallery debut.

The event, InsidEtna, was conceived as a targeted educational platform rather than a traditional walkaround, with founder Francesca Cioce (also the UK ambassador for the Gaia family) positioning it as a response to what she sees as a gap between rising interest and limited knowledge in the UK market.

“I started to realise that even though the curiosity for Etna wines is big… the knowledge is not there yet. I felt it was the time to take Etna to the next level and to show there is a matrix of complexity there. From the eastern slopes to the west, the DOC is not just about volcanic soils or high elevation, there are so many expressions of Nerello Mascalese and Carricante,” she said.

Etna’s diversity comes from its volcanic soils, varied exposures and microclimate differences, even with short distances around the volcano – and this was very much reflected during last week’s masterclasses.

The format also introduced detailed maps commissioned specifically by InsidEtna in order to develop “very faithful maps focused on specific communes”.

“What we wanted to do was give more depth to the understanding of the different slopes and the different interpretations of wines via the varying terroir across the mountain,” Cioce said.

A total of 40 producers were personally selected by Cioce for the event, spanning what the organiser described as Etna’s diverse ecosystem of historic estates (Tornatore, Feudo Cavaliere, Biondi, Benanti), pioneers (Passopisciaro, Frank Cornellissen, Graci, Pietradolce) and custodians focused on preserving old, centenarian vines (Federico Graziani), as well as a newer generation of producers.

The push comes at a pivotal moment for the region. While Etna has seen a surge in international attention over the past two decades, the organiser argues it remains a “work in progress” that is still defining its identity compared to more established European fine wine regions.

“Everything started to happen over the past 25 years… but great wine regions are not made overnight,” Cioce said.

Historically, Etna’s modern revival is traced back to a small group of pioneers in the 1990s and early 2000s, followed by a wave of international investment that helped to raise its global profile. Since then, producers have increasingly focused on precision viticulture, lower yields and clearer expression of terroir.

That evolution is now feeding into stylistic shifts. While Etna Bianco DOC regulations allow for blends, there is a growing trend towards single-varietal expressions of Carricante, mirroring the emphasis on purity seen within Nerello Mascalese on the red side.

Climate change is also playing a role. Rising temperatures have reduced the historical need for blending to achieve ripeness and are now enabling greater confidence in single-varietal wines.

At the same time, production dynamics are shifting. Carricante has grown rapidly in recent years and now accounts for close to half of production, catching up with Nerello Mascalese in a reversal of historical trends. (The balance of Etna’s red/white production has shifted from 70%/30% to 55%/45% over the past few years.)

For the UK trade, the timing may be opportune. Etna’s positioning – premium, terroir-driven and increasingly aligned with fine wine – offers both list-building potential for independents and the on-trade. The challenge however, remains education.

Cioce is clear that InsidEtna is intended as the start of a longer-term effort to embed the region more firmly in the UK market.

“We really hope that from tomorrow there will be a new awareness in London… a new beginning,” she said.