Benanti Contrada Pietra Marina Etna Bianco Superiore 2019 DOC
(Sicily, Italy)

About the Winery:

Winemaking in the Benanti family can be traced back to the late 1800s in Viagrande. This deep-rooted passion for wine is what led Giuseppe Benanti to establish the namesake winery in 1988.

THE WINE:

Vineyard Profile: “Contrada” Rinazzo in the village of Milo, on the eastern slope of Mount Etna, facing the Ionian Sea

Appellation: Etna D.O.C. Bianco Superiore, which accounts for about 1% of the aggregate Etna D.O.C. production

Varietal Composition: Carricante, the noble indigenous white grape of the Etna volcano. The berries are medium-sized with very pruinose skin and a green-yellowish color. The bunches are of average length and scattered.

Vinification: The selected grapes are hand-picked in mid-October, sorted, de-stemmed and softly pressed. Fermentation of the free-run juice occurs for about 15 days at controlled temperature in a stainless steel vat, with an indigenous yeast selected in the vineyard by Benanti exclusively for the vinification of the Carricante variety. The wine then matures in stainless steel on the fine lees for 30 months, with frequent stirring, until bottling.

Aging: In stainless steel on the fine lees for 30 months, with frequent stirring, until bottling. Followed by 12 months in bottle.

Alcohol: 12%

Optimum Drinking: 2022 - 2042

Tasting Notes

Color: Pale yellow with greenish tints

Scent: Intense, rich, moderately fruity, complex

Taste and Body: Medium-bodied, dry, mineral, with a pleasant high acidity, saline notes, marked aromatic persistence and after taste of anise and almond

Ratings & Reviews:

95 Points - Wine Enthusiast (2018 Vintage): 
"The nose is a medley of citrus and tart aromas, with undertones of white pepper and flint providing balance. Melon joins lemon, lime, Mandarin orange and grapefruit on the palate, while stonier, more metallic savory notes support those flavors through a long finish. Complete and satisfying." - Danielle Callegari (December 2023)