Planeta 'Eruzione 1614' Carricante 2018
(Sicily, Italy) - [WA 94] [WE 94] [VM 93] [JS 91] [WS 91]

About the Winery:
Planeta’s journey began at Sambuca di Sicilia, on the estate owned by the family since the 1600s. Here, three enthusiastic young Sicilians, Alessio, Francesca and Santi Planeta, under the guidance of Diego Planeta, began their winemaking venture in the mid-1980s. Subsequent years were spent matching the extraordinarily diverse Sicilian soils with both indigenous and international varieties. Planeta today encompasses six distinct wine estates in five regions across Sicily; Ulmo at Sambuca di Sicilia, Dispensa at Menfi, Dorilli at Vittoria, Buonivini at Noto, Sciara Nuova on Etna at Castiglione di Sicilia, and the newest addition, La Baronia at Capo Milazzo. Each vineyard site is carefully cultivated with grapes that best compliment the local terroir.

About the Wine:
The history of Etna is marked by the historic eruptions which have shaped it. That of 1614 is legendary, it lasted 10 years, the longest ever recorded, which halted just on the border of the Sciaranuova vineyard. The name is strongly evocative for our Cru of Etna, Carricante with a small addition of Rhine Riesling. Black soils at a certain height confer a fresh, fruity and mineral style.

Tasting Notes:
An explosion of aromas of ripe fruit and the aromatic content of white flowers which magically transport the taster to the slopes of Etna. The wine manages to combine softness and strength with a drinkable richness, with fruit flavors of lemon peel and green apple linked to an endearing mineral power which prolongs the finish.

An extraordinary companion for dishes based on fish of a certain oiliness and thus ideal for any gastronomic experience encountered by the sea.

Technical Information

Appellation: Etna DOC
Varietal Composition: 90% Carricante, 10% Riesling
Region: Sicily
Vineyard: Sciaranuova
Vineyard altitude: 815-860 meters above sea level
Vineyard soil type: perfectly positioned and exposed ground, black with lava sands and due to this extraordinarily rich in minerals with abundant structure of large dimensions, surrounded by woods and more recent lava flows.
Vine training method: espalier with spurred cordon and Guyot pruning systems.
Vinification: the grapes are gathered into crates, immediately refrigerated at 8°C; selected by hand and sent to a light destalking and gentle pressing. The decanted must is racked and ferments between 10 and 18 °C in stainless steel. The wine obtained remains on the fine lees with continual stirring until August.
Alcohol: 12.5%

Ratings & Reviews

94 Points - Wine Advocate:
"Slightly evolved and showing a deep sense of complexity and textural richness, the Planeta 2018 Sicilia Carricante Eruzione 1614 is yet another reason to love Etna's terrific Carricante grape. (There's also a 10% touch of Riesling in this edition of 62,000 bottles.) That extra time in bottle, tasted now three years after the harvest, produces dusty mineral definition and ashy volcanic tones. The wine is linear and precise with more austerity that raises the bar in terms of its food-pairing potential. A beautiful seafood platter with grilled prawns might do the trick." - Monica Larner (October 2021)

94 Points - Wine Enthusiast:
"Delicious, crisp and showing a great depth of flavor, this white from the slopes of Mount Etna doles out juicy yellow apple, peach, wild herb and savory, almost salty, mineral notes. Made with Carricante and 10% Riesling, it has racy acidity, energy and captivating mineral tension before finishing on mouthwatering notes of honeyed lemon drop candy." - Kerin O'Keefe (October 2020)

93 Points - Vinous:
"Decidedly more savory than sweet and flinty as well, the 2018 Carricante Eruzione 1614 sends up a stunning bouquet of dried apricots, grilled orange and hints of white pepper. Its silky and pliant textures quickly gain a more tactile feel, as a mix of bright acids, saline-minerals, tart orchard fruits and sour citrus cascades across the palate. There are depths unseen here, as the 2018 displays a youthful density while remaining lifted, balanced and simply tempting the imagination as to what’s to come with further cellaring. A beautiful Etna Carricante with a 10% addition of Riesling that shows tremendous tension. Well done." - (November 2020)

91 Points - James Suckling:
"Lemon-rind, pear and green-apple aromas follow through to a full body with a round, creamy palate of ripe and dried fruit that comes across mostly tropical. Creamy texture. Really tangy. Drink now." - (November 2020)

91 Points - Wine Spectator:
"Racy acidity drives this lithe white, creating a lip-smacking frame for the expressive flavors of blood orange and white raspberry, slivered almond, petrol and grated ginger. Minerally finish. Drink now through 2026. 2,080 cases made, 105 cases imported." - Alison Napjus (October 2021)