Etna DOC Etna DOC Etna is a "Denominazione di origine controllata" (DOC) for wine from the Etna region in Italy. Etna D.O.C. territory is closely tied to the biggest active volcano in Europe - Etna. Much of it is covered with crops and natural vegetation. Among the cultivated species the grape vine has always played a major role. Man appears on the island of Sicily in the Upper Paleolithic (20,000 years B.C.). Evidence exists that ancient grapes are proved to be dated before man ever stepped on the island; however it was only during the Neolithic era when population devoted itself to
Mount Etna The fertile volcanic soils support extensive agriculture, with vineyards and orchards spread across the lower slopes of the mountain and the broad Plain of Catania to the south. Due to its history of recent activity and nearby population, Mount Etna has been designated a Decade Volcano by the United Nations. In June 2013, it was added to the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The word Etna is from the Greek αἴθω ("aithō"), meaning "I burn", through an iotacist pronunciation. In Classical Greek, it is called ("Aítnē"), a name given also to Catania and the city originally known as Inessa.