The Still & The VineSchool of Wine & Spirits
Benanti Etna Bianco 2022
White WineIssue 22

Benanti Etna Bianco 2022

Benanti Viticoltori · Benanti, Viagrande, Mount Etna, Sicily

$3013% proofMount Etna, Sicily — where the Benanti family revived their historic family estate on the slopes of Europe's tallest and most active volcano, planting the indigenous Carricante grape at elevations between 700 and 1,000 meters on ancient lava flows.
If fire built these eight bottles, then Benanti's Etna Bianco was built by the most patient fire of all — the volcanic eruptions that have been depositing mineral-rich ash and sand on the slopes of Mount Etna for thousands of years.

Kit Aromas

Tasting Notes

Nose

Green apple, white grapefruit, lime zest, white flowers, and a distinctive smoky, flinty minerality — like struck flint over citrus groves

Palate

Dry, taut, and mineral-driven — citrus pith, green apple, a saline brightness, fresh herbs, and a persistent volcanic minerality that anchors the palate

Finish

Long and precise with lingering citrus, salinity, and an ashy mineral whisper

Specifications
Varietal
100% Carricante
Blend
100% Carricante
Serve & Pair

Cocktail Suggestion

Cocktail — The Etna Spritz: 3 oz Benanti Etna Bianco · 1.5 oz Aperol · 1 oz sparkling water · Orange slice. Build over ice in a wine glass.

Food Pairing

Pair with: Grilled swordfish with capers and lemon — a classic Sicilian pairing where the wine's minerality cuts through the richness of the fish.

Train These Aromas
Comments

Be the first to comment.

Leave a comment

0 / 4,000

First-time comments are reviewed before appearing. Be kind, be specific, no spam.

More from Benanti, Viagrande, Mount Etna, Sicily
More White Wine Reviews
Domaine des Huards Cour-Cheverny AOC Romo 2023
White Wine

Domaine des Huards Cour-Cheverny AOC Romo 2023

Domaine des Huards

Cour-Cheverny is the only AOC in France dedicated to the ancient Romorantin grape, and Domaine des Huards is its finest ambassador. This is a wine of place — the chalky soils and continental climate write themselves into every glass. If you've never tried Romorantin, this is where to start.

Domaine Weinbach Riesling Grand Cru Furstentum 2022
White Wine

Domaine Weinbach Riesling Grand Cru Furstentum 2022

Domaine Weinbach

The Faller family's Grand Cru Furstentum Riesling showcases one of Alsace's warmest and most powerful sites, yet the 2022 vintage maintains stunning freshness. This is Riesling at its most complete — aromatic, textured, mineral, and built for the table.

Pietradolce Etna Bianco DOC 2023
White Wine

Pietradolce Etna Bianco DOC 2023

Pietradolce

Pietradolce's Carricante vines grow at 700 meters on Etna's north face, rooted in millennia of lava flow. Winemaker Michele Faro handles the fruit with restraint — stainless steel only, no malolactic — letting the grape and the volcano speak. The result is one of Italy's most compelling white wines at a price that borders on absurd for this level of quality.

Benanti Etna Bianco Superiore Pietra Marina 2022
White Wine

Benanti Etna Bianco Superiore Pietra Marina 2022

Benanti

Pietra Marina is arguably Sicily's greatest white wine, and the 2022 vintage continues the tradition. Carricante from Etna's highest vineyards delivers a rare combination of power and precision — it has the depth to age but the freshness to drink now. If you want to understand what volcanic soil tastes like in a glass, start here.