Benanti Pietramarina Etna Bianco Superiore DOC 2017

History.
From day one, Giuseppe Benanti has nurtured an ambition to demonstrate the enormous potential of Carricante di Milo. This wine, whose name recalls the volcanic landscape, flint, minerality and finally the savoriness of the sea breeze, is now considered one of the most typical, elegant and long-lived whites on the Italian wine scene.

Name.
Etna D.O.C. Bianco Superiore

On the Mountain.

Vineyard in Contrada Rinazzo, eastern slope of Etna within the municipality of Milo (CT). Contrada particularly suited for altitude and abundant light, exposure to the sea and ventilation.

In the Vineyard.
Carricante 100%, a noble native white grape variety from Etna volcano. The berry is medium-sized with a very pruny, yellowish-green skin. Clusters are of medium length and averagely scattered.
The vineyard, facing east over the sea at an altitude of 800m above sea level, grows on sandy, mineral-rich volcanic soil with a sub-acid reaction. The plants of varying ages, up to 90 years old, are trained in the traditional sapling system, supported by chestnut poles, on small terraces with dry stone walls, with a planting density of 8,000 to 9,000 vines per hectare and a yield of about 5,500 kg/ha. The climate is mountainous, humid, and with both rainfall and snowfall in the colder season, with very high ventilation and significant temperature ranges.

Cellar.
Grapes are hand-picked after mid-October and are pressed whole with soft pressing of the bunch. Fermentation takes place for about 12 days at a controlled temperature in steel tanks, with the help of a specific native yeast owned by the company, selected after extensive experimentation. The wine is left to mature in steel tanks with its own noble lees for about 24 months, with frequent, periodic bâtonnages before moving to the bottle, where it ages for at least 12 months.

In the Chalice.
To the eye it is straw yellow with bright green highlights. Intense nose, rich, broad, complex, fruity with hints of orange blossom and ripe apple. The palate is dry and mineral, with marked acidity, pleasant savoriness and a remarkable aromatic persistence with an anise and almond aftertaste. Serving temperature: 10 to 12°C.

Table.
Excellent with fish, seafood and even elaborate dishes.