From the slopes of Etna to the depths of the sea: wine from the volcano is ready to experiment with underwater aging for the first time in its history. The idea has its roots in the start-up Orygini, founded by three young friends - Giuseppe Leone, Riccardo Peligra and Luca Catania - who financed the project by gaining the trust and support of two great profiles of Etna's enology, the Benanti winery and the Passopisciaro winery.

The total number of bottles involved will be two thousand of Etna Doc Rosso and Etna Doc Bianco, and with them there will also be Etna's first fin, Volcano Gin: the project involves a careful series of examinations aimed at analyzing the evolution of the wines being aged during - and not after - their time in the water, at a depth of about 50 meters below sea level, in the marine protected area bordering the Island of the Cyclops.

Specifically, the experimental phase will examine a series of samples taken from month to month by a team of specialized divers, and will be conducted in parallel - and on the same parameters - with respect to the samples subjected to the traditional aging process so as to determine how pressure, darkness and constant temperature go to affect the wine. The bottles will actually be submerged inside metal cages, and will spend about six months underwater: each one will be monitored and digitally recorded using blockchain technology.