Pietra Marina, Etna Bianco DOC Superiore — 2017
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Vineyard Profile
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“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
Altitude: 800 m a.s.l. (2,600 feet a.s.l.)
Climate: Mountain climate, humid, rainy and snowy in winter, with very high ventilation, luminosity and diurnal range
Vine Age: Up to 80 years old
Training: Head-trained, short-pruned bush vines grown on small terraces with dry lava-stone walls
Soil: Volcanic sands, rich in minerals, with sub-acid reaction (pH = 6.5)
Density: From 8,000 to 9,000 vinestocks per hectare (3,239 – 3,644 vines per acre)
Yield: 5,500 kg per hectare
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Vinification
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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.
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Technical Information
- 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.
- Alcohol: 12%
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Tasting Notes
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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 - Serving Suggestions: Fish and seafood, including elaborate recipes
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Images
Reviews
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Pietra Marina, Etna Bianco DOC Superiore — 2017 – James Suckling – 96 Points
"A lovely nose of fresh flowers, lemon grass, blood orange, baked pear and toasted thyme. Medium-bodied with plenty of mineral complexity. Excellent structure. Lots going on here. Floral, nutty, citrus. Bright and nuanced."
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Pietra Marina, Etna Bianco DOC Superiore — 2017 – Wine Enthusiast – 92 Points
“The nose on this Carricante shows the complexity of age with incense and burning leaves, grilled chicken and spices and cooked lemons. Lemons and seashells appear on the saline-citrus palate, before revealing sweet tea and cooked apples. A palpable heat magnifies the still animated acid.”
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Pietra Marina, Etna Bianco DOC Superiore — 2017 – Wine Spectator – 93 Points
“Bright and harmonious, with racy acidity and crackling saline and petrol notes wrapped in a finely woven cloak of poached pear, lemon oil, chamomile and Marcona almond flavors. Long and creamy, with a touch of honeycomb on the lightly mouthwatering finish..”
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Pietra Marina, Etna Bianco DOC Superiore — 2017 – Vinous – 95 Points
“The 2017 Etna Bianco Superiore Pietra Marina makes itself known with a beguiling bouquet that blends crushed oyster shells with rosemary, young apricot and hints of smoke. It’s deeply textural and elegant in feel, with ripe pit fruits that cascade across a core of zesty acids, as nuances of green citrus pinch at the cheeks. This leaves the palate buzzing with residual energy; fresh melon tones linger and are framed by a coating of salty minerality. This is top-shelf Etna Bianco by every scope of the imagination.”