“San Lorenzo” Bianco Etna DOC 2024

Girolamo Russo | Sicily
Az. Agr. Giuseppe Russo | Via Regina Margherita 79 | IT 95012 Castiglione di Sicilia

19240224 · 0,75 l · 92,00 €/l · Price (DE) incl. VAT, excl. Shipping< 24 units available
Limitation of 3 articles per customer

At an altitude of 750 metres, where the boundaries of the Etna DOC end in the cold north-west of the volcano, lies a hidden geological secret that only three of the hundreds of contrade on Etna can lay claim to. In its sandy soils, San Lorenzo bears the pure legacy of the Ellittico volcano – the ancient eruption centre whose explosive activity 60,000 years ago created a terroir purity that is now one of Sicily's rarest treasures. Giuseppe Russo is aware of this peculiarity when he cultivates the precious white vines that have been sinking their roots into these elliptical volcanic sands for eighty years among the centuries-old Nerello vines of his red Contrada wines. Here, where Etna sends its coldest winds over the vineyards and time is measured in geological epochs, white wines are produced with a minerality that only this unique combination of ancient lava and extreme altitude can produce.

Ninety per cent Carricante forms the crystalline backbone of this exceptional wine, while ten per cent Catarratto and Grecanico contribute the multi-layered complexity that comes from the tradition of mixed vineyards. After a gentle four-hour skin maceration, which gives the must a delicate texture and additional concentration of flavours, the wine matures for six months in second and third passage barriques and tonneaux before finding its final harmony in the bottle for a further six months.

Bright straw yellow in the glass with brilliant golden reflections, while its bouquet tells an olfactory journey through the aromatic world of elliptical soils: White peaches and green apples correspond with lemon peel and white flowers, while notes of camomile and Mediterranean herbs are infused with that characteristic minerality reminiscent of flint and graphite. On the palate, an impressive tension unfolds between the delicate fruit and the salty, vibrant freshness – a wine of crystalline precision and aristocratic elegance, whose long, delicious final reflects the geological history of this unique Contrada and is sustained for minutes by almond-sweet and spicy notes. SUPERIORE.DE

"A very tight and leafy wine with aromas of grapefruit, limes, candied lemons and smoky minerality. Light-bodied, it shows a silky texture, crisp acidity, a chewy palate and substance in the finish." James Suckling