Benanti
Contrada Calderara Sottana Etna Rosso DOC
This wine is made from 100% Nerello Mascalese, a renowned indigenous grape variety of Sicily. The fruit comes from 50-year-old vines grown in the Contrada Calderara Sottana vineyard, situated in the picturesque village of Randazzo on the northern slope of Mount Etna. The unique volcanic terroir of this region, with its rich, mineral soils and altitude, imparts a distinctive character to the grapes. The old vines, carefully tended, produce low yields of exceptional quality, resulting in a wine that captures the essence of Mount Etna’s rugged landscape and complex, layered flavors.
Vintage Factsheets
The 50 year-old vines hail from the Contranda Calderara Sottana vineyard located in the village of Randazzo on the northern slope of Mount Etna. Volcanic sands, rich in minerals, with good organic matter content.
- Region
- Sicily
- Appellation
- Etna Rosso DOC
- Varietal Composition
- Nerello Mascalese
- Aging
- 12 months in used French oak tonneaux, and then in stainless steel tanks.
- Alcohol
- 14.5%
This wine is bright ruby red with light tints of purple. The nose is spicy, herbaceous, and smoky, with mild fruity undertones. On the palate, it is dry with a pleasant acidity and mild tannins. Well-balanced, it offers good persistence and red fruit aromas, making it ideal for aging over the next 10 to 13 years.
Wine Advocate
94 Points
2022
"This is a relatively new addition to the Benanti portfolio. The 2022 Etna Rosso Contrada Calderara Sottana shows dried fruit and blackcurrant with pressed rose and crushed volcanic rock. Fruit comes from one hectare on the north side of Etna at 685 meters in elevation with a good amount of organic matter in the soils. There is a hint of strawberry-like ripeness on the close, but otherwise, the wine remains impressively tight, polished and streamlined in texture."
— Monica Larner, 2025
