Born in '71, of Piedmontese origins , Luca Caramellino graduated in Viticulture and Oenology in 1996 and since 2007 began a career as a freelance consultant, collaborating with various wineries throughout Italy. His vision of the harvest is based on a mission where grape harvesters, cellar workers and front line operators dedicate commitment and passion to the winemaking process. The eclecticism and imagination that distinguish him are inspired by the love of the sea and travel and bring a breath of freshness and innovation to the Ballasanti project.
“The collaboration with Luca was born from a meeting of kindred spirits – states Manuela Seminara , owner of the company –. We chose to rely on him because he is an authentic poet of wine, with whom we found a profound harmony in the wine language. His entry will not change the identity of the estate, on the contrary, it will help us express it even better: our wines will remain true to themselves, but will acquire different nuances, underlining the continuity and evolution of our project".
In parallel with the improvement of the wines and corporate image, a process of restyling the labels was started. The references, now bottled in burgundy, include Etna Bianco Doc, Etna Rosso Doc and Nerello Mascalese Sicilia Doc. The new labels recall the distinctive traits of the company through the concept of the triangle , the perfect geometric figure.
The two triangles drawn in the graphic, one facing upwards and the other downwards, converge at the same point symbolizing the meeting of two different natures, Manuela and Fabio. Transparently, on the summit of each one, an analogy to the lava flow recalls part of the logo, representing a double vision of the volcano: the real one, Etna, and the ideal one, Tenute Ballasanti.
Tenute Ballasanti was born on Etna, from two maritime pines with deep roots, from the union between North and South of two kindred spirits who accept the legacy left by the experience of Don Vincenzo, Manuela's grandfather, and who today want to tell a wine project new in the Sicilian wine world. Manuela and Fabio rely on a team of workers and industry experts from different regions of Italy, to interpret historic native vines of Carricante and Nerello Mascalese. All the rows are arranged on the eastern side of the Sicilian volcano to give the grapes good exposure and constant ventilation, which translate into ripe and healthy bunches for single-varietal wines with character and representative of the territory.
