2018 Planeta Etna Bianco, Italy, Sicily, Wine Review

This is made from Carricante grapes on the slopes of Mt. Etna in Sicily. Yellow/gold in color, clear and bright. An interesting nose with peach, slight orange notes, smoke, and almonds. Full bodied with a slightly viscous texture. Good acidity. On the palate, lemons and minerals/smoke. A bit of lemon candy on the Long finish. This drinks very well on its own and will work well with sea food and lighter foods. drink over the next couple of years.

Grade:

A-

Score:

Vintage:

2018

Current Price:

$30.00USD

The Wines of Mt. Etna in Sicily: Wine's Next Big Thing?

Last month we explored the wines of Mt. Vesuvius in Campania. This article will explore the wines from Italy’s other famous volcano, Mt. Etna. Mt. Etna is in the eastern portion of Sicily. It is the highest active volcano in Sicily at just under 11,000 feet often capped with snow. It is a beautiful place and mystical setting.

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Sicily: The Promise and Potential of Wines from Mount Etna – Part Two

This is the second article ( Part one is here ) in an investigative series on Sicilian wines. Part Three of this series will be a focus on the Sicilian palate, foods and wines from the southern most region of Italy. My wife’s cousin, Fabio, navigates the winding roads up the east side of Mount Etna as naturally as the breeze follows the Sicilian coastline. We are en route to the small mountain town of Randazzo where Fabio’s friend is the winemaker at a winery called Gurrida . Over the course of an hour, we have passed thousands of acres of vineyards and citrus groves and several ancient villages carved (literally) out of lava.

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Sicily: The New Darling of Wine Culture – Part One

This is the first of an investigative series on Sicilian wines. Part Two of this series will be a focus on the young, dominating wine industry of the Etna DOC (Denominazione di Origine Controllata) on east coast of Sicily, on and around Mount Etna. For most people, the Mediterranean peninsula of Italy conjures metaphors and sensations of gastronomic ecstasy and high culture. The foods and wines are like its history, sated with drama and prudence. From its politics to its geography, the nation is connected by its diversities of culture, and no where are differences more frequently and poignantly in play than the southern region of Sicily.

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Sicilian Food, Wine, and La Dolce Vita – Part Three

This article is Part Three in a series on Sicilian foods, wines, and culture. Part One of this series was a focus on Sicily as “The new darling of wine culture.” Part Two of this series was a focus on the young, dominating wine industry of the Etna DOC (Denominazione di Origine Controllata) on east coast of Sicily, on and around Mount Etna. To fully experience the foods and wines of Sicily one might spend some time reflecting on the Mediterranean island’s history, its place on the World Map – at the point of three seas and various trade routes – or its harsh geography, and the fact it has been colonized by various civilizations for millennia who introduced and cultivated unfamiliar foods and traditions.

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2016 Aeris Wines Etna Bianco Superiore, Italy, Sicily, Wine Review

Vintage:

2016

Score:

Grade:

This is Carricante from Sicily but made by California winery owner Kevin Harvery (Rhys). Light golden in color, some darker gold swirls, clear and bright. The nose is intriguing with minerality, some char, lemons, almonds and salinity. Lovely, slightly viscous texture. Light tannins. On the palate, loads of minerality, some lemons and slight smoke. Great acidity. Long finish. This drinks great on its own, but would be better with food such as a Lemon Pasta. Drink over the next ten years.

2018 Planeta Etna Bianco, Italy, Sicily, Wine Review

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The Wines of Mt. Etna in Sicily: Wine's Next Big Thing?

Sicily: The Promise and Potential of Wines from Mount Etna – Part Two

Sicily: The New Darling of Wine Culture – Part One

Sicilian Food, Wine, and La Dolce Vita – Part Three

2016 Aeris Wines Etna Bianco Superiore, Italy, Sicily, Wine Review