Pietra Marina, Etna Bianco DOC Superiore — 2018
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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%
- Optimum Drinking: 2022 - 2042
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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. Serve at 10 – 12 °C.
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Images
Reviews
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Pietra Marina, Etna Bianco DOC Superiore — 2018 – 93 Points
“Flinty, smoky and saline, this is a classy white with a stony, vertical character but not at all lacking in body: the richness from the lees combines with beautifully sweet stone fruits to produce an alluring wine, made all the more exciting by a twist of seaweed on the finish.”
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Pietra Marina, Etna Bianco DOC Superiore — 2018 – Wine Enthusiast – 95 Points
“The nose is a medley of citrus and tart aromas, with undertones of white pepper and flint providing balance. Melon joins lemon, lime, Mandarin orange and grapefruit on the palate, while stonier, more metallic savory notes support those flavors through a long finish. Complete and satisfying.”
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Pietra Marina, Etna Bianco DOC Superiore — 2018 – Vinous – 94 Points
“The 2018 Etna Bianco Superiore Pietra Marina captivates with a savory blend of crushed rocks, raw almonds and musky dried apricot. It's deeply textural with a saline tinge to its orchard fruits and brisk acidity that maintains energy throughout. The 2018 leaves a lemon and mineral twang through the long, lightly structured finale as hints of liquid stone linger. The PietraMarina is currently wrapped up tight with youthful poise, yet it should blossom beautifully in a few years.”
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Pietra Marina, Etna Bianco DOC Superiore — 2018 – Wine Spectator – 93 Points
"This graceful white is long and svelte, effortlessly meshing well-honed acidity and a minerally streak of brine and petrol with aromas and flavors of baked peach and apricot, creamed almond, crushed pine and fennel seed, preserved lemon and chamomile. The profile expands on the palate and through the long, creamy finish."