Benanti
Contrada Rinazzo Etna Bianco DOC Superiore
The tiny municipality of Milo is the only area permitted for wines labeled Etna Bianco Superiore, according to the Etna D.O.C. rules. In this steep vineyard, composed of numerous small terraces with dry lava stone walls overlooking the Ionian Sea, only Carricante is grown.
Vines are located in Contrada Rinazzo (Milo village), on the eastern slope of Mt Etna. Young vines, head-trained, shortpruned bush vines (“alberello”) grown on small terraces with dry lava-stone walls. Elevated at 800 meters above sea level, the vineyards benefit from an eastern exposure and the cooling influence of the Ionian Sea just five miles away.
- Region
- Sicily
- Appellation
- Etna Bianco DOC Superiore
- Varietal Composition
- Carricante
- Aging
- 12 months on its fine lees in stainless steel.
- Alcohol
- 12.5%
Pale yellow with greenish tints, this wine offers an intense and rich nose, with moderate fruity complexity. On the palate, it is medium-bodied, dry, and mineral, with a refreshing high acidity and saline notes. The aromatic persistence is marked by an aftertaste of anise and almond.
Wine Enthusiast
96 Points
2023
" It annoys me when Etna is compared to Burgundy, since the entire point of wine is that when it’s great it is a perfect reflection of the place it comes from and the people who inhabit that space, but Benanti’s Etna Bianco crus do make me think of Burgundian examples—not because they taste similar, but because they provide that potential for an earthshattering, mind-blowing experience that attaches you to wine forever."
— Danielle Callegari, 2026
Wine Advocate
94 Points
2023
"Shows a very fine and chiseled quality with dusty mineral and crushed stone that frame citrus fruit and unripe peach. The wine relaxes in the glass to reveal elegance and depth with a hint of spice, nutmeg and Sicilian bitter almond, and it closes with wild sage. I like the linear tightness and energy of this razor-sharp Carricante."
— Monica Larner, 2025
