“Pietra Marina” Bianco Etna Superiore DOC 2020 · MAGNUM in gift box

Benanti Viticoltori | Sicily
Benanti Viticoltori S.p.a. | Via Garibaldi 361 | IT 95029 Viagrande

19130820 · 1,5 l · 172,67 €/l · Price (DE) incl. VAT, excl. Shipping5 units available

There are wines that define a region. Pietra Marina is one such wine. When it became the first Etna ever to receive the Tre Bicchieri of the Gambero Rosso in 2007 – and when Benanti was named Winery of the Year in the same year –This was more than just an honour: it marked the birth of the modern Etna Bianco on the world stage. The name itself tells the story: Pietra Marina, sea stone – a word that combines volcanic landscapes, flint, minerality and a salty sea breeze. Since 1991, the first vintage, Giuseppe Benanti has conceived this wine as proof of the potential of the Carricante from Milo. Today it is recognised as one of the most typical, elegant and long-lived white wines in Italy. The grapes come from the uppermost, more porous part of the Contrada Rinazzo – the same location as Contrada Rinazzo, but from a sector with less sandy, more skeletal soil. Here, at an altitude of 800 metres, steep terraces with dry stone walls made of black lava stone look eastwards towards the Ionian Sea, just eight kilometres away. The Alberello vines, some over 90 years old, are rooted in mineral-rich volcanic sand with a sub-acidic profile. Extreme planting densities of 8,000 to 9,000 vines per hectare and yields of just 5,500 kg guarantee concentration. The climate: humid, often snowy in winter, with exceptional ventilation and marked day-night fluctuations.

After manual harvesting in mid-October, the must is fermented with the company's own Carricante yeast, which Benanti isolated from its own vineyards between 2005 and 2010 after five years of research – four patented strains that preserve the unmistakable character of the terroir. Then the waiting begins: 30 months of maturation on the fine lees in stainless steel with regular bâtonnage, followed by a further twelve months of rest in the bottle. More than three and a half years of patience before the wine sees the light of day.

The 2020 shows a pale straw yellow colour with greenish nuances in the glass. The bouquet is remarkably intense and complex: white flowers, smoke, a hint of sweet spices, then nectarine, ripe apple and orange blossom. On the palate, the vintage is more airy and elegant than its predecessors – with less of the typical verticality and tension, but with a charming, almost weightless grace. Perfumed orchard flavours glide across the palate, nuances of ginger mingle with minerality and a hint of citrus. The final: admirable length and a salty note that lingers for a long time. A wine for great moments – with shellfish, fine fish or simply as a meditation on what volcanic terroir and human dedication can produce. Storage potential: decades. SUPERIORE.DE

"Bright, sparkling golden yellow colour. Flint and matchstick on the nose, then nuances of grapefruit and citrus fruit. Fresh and juicy on the palate, well-balanced, with a mineral final." Falstaff

"The 2020 Etna Bianco Superiore Pietra Marina has a remarkably pretty and airy character, where white flowers, smoke and a hint of sweet spice find their way to nectarines. Elegant but seemingly weightless, it splashes across the palate with perfumed fruit tones. Nuances of ginger mingle with minerals and a subtle hint of citrus as the 2020 finishes with admirable length and a savoury note." Vinous

"Very smoky style with seaweed, broom flowers and paraffin, underlined by rich stone fruit and mineral depth. Electric on the palate, with crisp acidity, taut texture and a lean finish that is nevertheless silky and precise. Very flavoursome and long." James Suckling

"A subtle skein of milled white pepper and fennel seed laces finely woven flavors of poached pear, Meyer lemon peel, lentil and beeswax, plus delicate mountain herb and floral notes. This classy white is backed by statuesque acidity, while a racy streak of petrol, stone and saline pushes through and echoes on the long, zesty finish." Wine Spectator

"Milo is the only area where Etna Superiore can be grown and shows the full potential of Carricante. An intense bouquet develops impressive aromas ranging from sage, acacia and gunpowder to a subtle citrus note. An engaging flavour dynamic develops on the palate, alternating between spice and freshness, culminating in a deep and long-lasting finish." Decanter