Rovittello Particella No. 341, Etna Rosso DOC Riserva — 2017
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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: After almost thirty years of experience vinifying the well-known Etna Rosso Rovittello, in 2015 Benanti decided to aim for new heights by focusing exclusively on the small, pre-phylloxera portion of the vineyard and extending the wine’s vinification, maturation and refining period to 60 months, thereby creating this new, exclusive Etna Rosso Riserva produced in a very limited quantity
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Vineyard Profile
- Appellation: Etna D.O.C. Rosso Riserva
- Location: Sicily
- Cultivation: Sustainable
- Vine Age: 100 years
- Soil: Sandy, volcanic, rich in minerals, with sub-acid reaction
- Density: 9,000 - 10,000 vinestocks per hectare (3,644 - 4,049 vines per acre)
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Vintage Report
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Cold winter with low rainfall. In the Spring, there was a sharp temperature drop in the third week, causing frost damage and occasional rainfall. May had a Spring-like climate without rain. June was drier. July had scorching heat with a maximum temperature of 42°C until mid-July, but temperatures returned to normal in the last week. August had a dry and drought-like climate with sporadic rain in the third week on the southeastern side. September and October had occasional rain, but the heat remained constant until the end of the harvest.
Overall, it was a decent year for the Etna region. The native Nerello Mascalese, Nerello Cappuccio, and Carricante vines suffered less from the summer heat as they were in a less advanced phenological phase in August-September, resulting in a regular ripening phase for the grapes. The only downside was a lower yield of grapes in the vineyard, around -30%, especially on some slopes (south east-south west) that were affected by late frosts in spring.
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Vinification
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Grapes are hand-picked in the last 10 days of October, de-stemmed, and softly pressed. Fermentation occurs at a controlled temperature in stainless steel vats, with a 20-21 days-long maceration, using an indigenous yeast selected in the vineyard by Benanti after years of experimentation.
- Aging: Maturation mostly occurs in large barrels of French oak (15hl) for at least 24 months. In the bottle for 12 months.
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Technical Information
- Varietal Composition: Nerello Mascalese
- Alcohol: 14%
- TA: 5.5 g/L
- p H: 3.74
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Tasting Notes
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Pale ruby red with light tints of garnet. Ethereal, intense, delicate scent with hints of ripe fruit, chestnut flowers, and noble wood. Elegant and fine tannins, balanced, remarkably persistent on the tongue.
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Images
Reviews
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Rovittello Particella No. 341, Etna Rosso DOC Riserva — 2017 – 94 Points
“The 2017 Etna Rosso Riserva Rovittello Particella No. 341 blossoms in the glass with a remarkably pretty blend of roses, lilac and violets before giving way to dried strawberries and sweet smoke. This is surprisingly round and juicy up front, propelled by vibrant acidity, with crisp red and blueberry fruits that cascade across its stern mineral core. A tinge of sour citrus comes together with lavender and tart blackberries as the 2017 finishes lightly structured and refined.”
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Rovittello Particella No. 341, Etna Rosso DOC Riserva — 2017 – James Suckling – 95 Points
“Wonderfully perfumed with fresh flowers like hibiscus as well as cherry and watermelon character. Crushed stone, too. Medium body, firm and silky tannins with a brightness and tension."
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Rovittello Particella No. 341, Etna Rosso DOC Riserva — 2016 – Wine Spectator – 93 Points
“This graceful red shows poise and focused presence to the flavors of baked strawberry and raspberry, dried mint and rose petal, iron and leather. Offers a finely meshed, subtle profile, expanding on the silky palate and deftly merging with supple tannins.”
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Rovittello Particella No. 341, Etna Rosso DOC Riserva — 2016 – Vinous – 91+ Points
“The 2016 Etna Rosso Rovittello Particella No. 341 Riserva opens slowly in the glass, at first backward, dusty and dark, with only nuances of dried roses to be found. Swirling adds further hints of red currant, shaved cedar and sage, yet it doesn’t fully unlock what’s beneath this youthful exterior. It washes across the palate with a more energetic expression; at first, it is silky in feel, yet has a salty mineral core and zesty acids that add grip as potent red berry fruits penetrate deeply."