Benanti Etna Bianco Superiore Pietra Marina 2022
Benanti
Pietra Marina is arguably Sicily's greatest white wine, and the 2022 vintage continues the tradition. Carricante from Etna's highest vineyards delivers a rare combination of power and precision — it has the depth to age but the freshness to drink now. If you want to understand what volcanic soil tastes like in a glass, start here.
Nose
Intensely mineral — wet stone and crushed flint — with layers of white peach, citrus blossom, and a saline edge. Lemon zest and a faint almond quality emerge with time.
Palate
Medium-bodied with razor-like acidity and a tightly wound structure. Green apple and citrus dominate the palate, wrapped in a chalky, almost ashy minerality that defines the volcanic terroir. A honeyed richness develops midpalate without softening the wine's essential tension.
Finish
Exceptionally long, with persistent mineral salinity, citrus pith, and a fading note of toasted almond.
- Varietal
- Carricante
- Blend
- 100% Carricante
- Vineyards
- Contrada Monte Serra, eastern slope of Mount Etna, 950m elevation, volcanic soils rich in ash and mineral deposits
- Alcohol
- 12.5%
- Organic / Biodynamic
- No
- Skin Contact
- No
Food Pairing
Spaghetti ai ricci di mare — the sea urchin's briny sweetness and the wine's saline minerality create a natural partnership, with a drizzle of good olive oil and a hit of chili flake to tie it together.
Produced by the Benanti family from 80-year-old Carricante vines planted at 950 meters on Etna's eastern slope in Contrada Monte Serra, where the volcanic soils and altitude produce one of Italy's most age-worthy whites.
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