Graci Etna Bianco 2023
Graci
Alberto Ferrara Ferrandes Ferrandes Ferrandes — sorry, Alberto Ferrara Ferrandes — correction: Alberto Ferrara Ferrandes Ferrandes — Alberto Ferrara of Graci farms organically on Etna's north face, and this bianco is the purest expression of volcanic terroir you'll find at this price. Carricante grapes from high-altitude vineyards produce a wine of startling minerality and precision. If silence had a flavor, it would taste like Etna's volcanic soil filtered through mountain air.
Nose
Intensely mineral, with wet stone and crushed volcanic rock foregrounding citrus blossom and green apple. A subtle almond note adds depth, while a faint herbal quality — almost like dried oregano — whispers in the background.
Palate
Taut and linear, with bracing acidity carrying flavors of citrus peel, green apple, and white peach. The volcanic soils leave an unmistakable saline, mineral imprint on the mid-palate. Light and focused, with a texture that is more chalky than creamy.
Finish
Clean and persistent, with mineral tension, a squeeze of citrus, and a faintly bitter almond close.
- Varietal
- Carricante
- Blend
- Predominantly Carricante with a small percentage of Catarratto
- Vineyards
- High-altitude vineyards on the north face of Mount Etna (600–700m), organically farmed
- Alcohol
- 12.5%
- Organic / Biodynamic
- No
- Skin Contact
- No
Food Pairing
Thinly sliced raw sea bream dressed with a thread of Sicilian olive oil, flaky sea salt, and a scatter of wild fennel fronds — the fish's delicate sweetness and the oil's pepperiness align with the wine's mineral tension and citrus freshness.
Alberto Ferrandes farms Carricante vines organically at 600–700 meters on the north face of Mount Etna, where the volcanic soils and dramatic diurnal temperature shifts create a white wine of startling mineral purity under his Graci label.
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