Contrada Cavaliere, Etna Rosso DOC — 2022
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Introduction
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THE WINERY: Winemaking in the Benanti family can be traced back to the late 1800s in Viagrande. This deep-rooted passion for wine is what led Giuseppe Benanti to establish the namesake winery in 1988.
THE WINE: South-western slope of Mount Etna in Contrada Cavaliere (part of the village of Santa Maria di Licodia), particularly suited for its high elevation and abundant luminosity.
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Vineyard Profile
- Appellation: Etna D.O.C. Rosso
- Location: Sicily
- Cultivation: Sustainable
- Vine Age: 50 years
- Soil: Volcanic sands, rich in minerals, with sub-acid reaction
- Exposure: Southwest exposure
- Density: 6,500 vinestocks per hectare (2,632 vines per acre)
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Vinification
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Grapes are hand-picked around mid-October and de-stemmed. Fermentation occurs at a controlled temperature in stainless steel vats, with a 21-day long maceration, using a specific indigenous yeast selected in the vineyard by Benanti. The maturation occurs in used tonneaux of French oak for about 12 months and then in stainless steel.
- Aging: French oak for 12 months, then in stainless steel. In the bottle for 10 months.
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Technical Information
- Varietal Composition: Nerello Mascalese
Images
Reviews
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Contrada Cavaliere, Etna Rosso DOC — 2022 – Vinous – 92 Points
"The 2022 Etna Rosso Contrada Cavaliere displays a translucent ruby color. It wafts up with a dusting of sweet spice and lavender-laced blackberries. This is cool-toned and crisp, with ripe red berry fruits that slowly saturate as rosy inner florals cascade throughout. Juicy acidity adds mouthwatering freshness as a coating of fine tannins settles in through the long and youthfully structured finale. The 2022 Cavaliere is a remarkably pretty Nerello Mascalese that should only require a short stay in the cellar to show its best."