You probably have never heard of Carricante, the Italian grape that grows on Mount Etna. Centennial Mountain specifically pursued their exact location in Sonoma to bring the Italian Carricante to California, the first of its kind.
This is made from Carricante grapes on the slopes of Mt. Etna in Sicily. Medium yellow/gold in color, clear and bright. The nose is nice with almonds, slight lemon peel, and slight green apples along with nice minerality and just a hint of smoke (or am I imagining this). Medium bodied. Nice creamy texture. Great balance. On the palate, this is crisp and delicious. Flavors of lemons, slight apples and minerality. Good finish. This is nice on its own but better with food. It went very nicely with Pesto Farfalle with Tofu. Drink over the next few years.
This is made from the Carricante grape in Sicily. The grapes are grown on the east side of Mt. Etna (an active volcano). pale yellow in color, clear and bright. The nose is interesting with pears, slight peach and a bit of a char quality. Light to medium bodied. Good balance. Lively. On the palate, more mineral drive but a bit of peach with some char. Good finish. This drinks well on its own and would work nicely with sea food. Drink over the next couple of years.
This is a white blend from Sicily made from 90% Carricante and 10% Catarratto grapes. Light golden in color, clear and bright. The nose is deep and interesting. A bit of blood orange, lots of minerality, some char and a bit of wild thyme. Medium bodied. Creamy texture. Crisp with good acidity. On the palate, its all about the minerality. Crushed rocks, char and slight salinity with a slight citrus note. Nice finish. This is a tasty wine that is nice on its own but better with food. This would be a nice wine with grilled scallops. Drink over the next couple of years.
This is 100% Carricante from Sicily. Silvery/green in color, clear4 and bright. The nose is pretty with peach, slight lime and salinity. Medium bodied. Slightly oily texture. Good balance and acidity. On the palate, peaches, lime pith, minerals and slight char. Long finish. This is an excellent and refreshing white wine. It has depth and drinks great on its own. Grilled swordfish or tuna steaks would be a great match. Drink over the next five years.
This is 100% Carricante grape grown 12 miles from the Pacific Ocean on the Sonoma Coast. Light golden in color, clear and bright. The nose takes some time to open and then shows peach, minerality, slight lemon, floral notes and salinity. Medium bodied. Round but with acidity. On the palate, this is deep. It really works better with food. It went nicely with a vegetarian Hungarian Vegetable Stew. Drink over the next five to ten years.
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.
This is 90% Carricante and 10% Riesling from the north slopes of Mt. Etna just outside the DOC boundaries. Golden in color, clear and bright. The nose has asparagus, smoke, minerals and white flowers. A lovely velvety texture that is slightly oily. Light tannins. A very interesting palate with tarragon, lime and saline. Moderate finish with some green apple notes. This is complex and interesting but also a very nice wine for food. While it works on its own, this would be great with sardines or even salmon. Drink over the next five to ten years.
