Benanti
Contrada Dafara Galluzzo Etna Rosso DOC
A prestigious hamlet in the municipality of Castiglione di Sicilia, only red varieties are grown, using the traditional alberello (head-trained bush vines) system. A number of these vines are more than one-hundred years old and ungrafted. On the north side of the volcano, the area enjoys a mildly humid climate, a factor that has influenced an evolution of the soils towards very fine granules and very small particles. These factors pave way for a characteristic acidity that provides a refreshing balance, while the wellintegrated tannins offer a smooth, persistent finish. The volcanic minerality from the Ancient Mongibello soils lends a distinctive, gravelly texture that underscores the wine’s
complexity.
THe vines are located in Contrada Dafara Galluzzo, in the village of Rovittello (Castiglione di Sicilia), on the northern slope of Mount Etna. Mostly young, head-trained, short-pruned bush vines (“alberello”) grown on small terraces with dry lava-stone walls.
- Region
- Sicily
- Appellation
- Etna Rosso DOC
- Varietal Composition
- Nerello Mascalese
- Aging
- 12 months in used French oak tonneaux, and then in stainless steel tanks. Refined in the bottle for 10 months.
- Alcohol
- 14%
This pale ruby wine is ethereal and spicy on the nose, with inviting aromas of red fruit. On the palate, it is dry and medium-to-full-bodied, with distinct tannins. Well-balanced and persistent, the wine has a refined structure.
Decanter
94 Points
2022
"The wine opens with delicate strawberry and floral aromas, evolving into more spicy notes with hints of clove. The strawberries are carried through on the palate and play wonderfully with the more resinous, earthy notes that appear over time. A touch of iron adds intrigue. With three to fours weeks of maceration in stainless steel at a relatively cool temperature of 21°C, followed by one year of ageing in neutral 500-litre oak casks and a return to stainless steel before bottling, this wine retains a minerality and freshness that belies its complexity. With good acidity and slightly chewy tannins, this wine has the structure to age beautifully."
— Kate Nowell Smith, 2024
