2025 Graci Etna Bianco, Mt Etna

The Graci 2025 Etna Bianco shows its youthful nature and underlying simplicity with aromas of white flower, cut grass, lemon zest and crushed stone. The wine moves neatly along those aromatic lines, covering them all with clarity and precision. There is plenty of freshness here, with a tonic, zesty quality that gives this vintage an especially lively and immediate personality.

Alberto Graci continues to be one of Etna’s most thoughtful interpreters, approaching the volcano as a complex agricultural ecosystem shaped by altitude, exposure and young volcanic geology. His farming emphasizes biodiversity and the preservation of trees, terraces and traditional dry-stone walls. In the cellar, the focus is on transparency and tension rather than weight, with long lees aging for Carricante and extended macerations for Nerello Mascalese. Graci has also isolated distinctive sites, including Sopra il Pozzo within Arcurìa and the extreme, high-altitude Barbabecchi vineyard. During my visit, we tasted several older vintages, and the 2010 Etna Bianco Arcurìa stood out as a compelling demonstration of the aging potential of Carricante, retaining citrus energy while developing candied citrus and greater textural depth. Graci’s ambition for his whites can perhaps best be summed up by his own wonderfully concise description of Carricante: “liquid rock.”

91 points Monica Larner, The Wine Advocate

Alberto Graci is one of the leading figures behind Mount Etna's remarkable wine renaissance. Working from vineyards on the volcano's northern slopes, he has built a reputation for wines that capture the energy, elegance and distinctive mineral character of Sicily's volcanic landscape. His Etna Bianco is a particularly appealing introduction to the estate, combining Mediterranean sunshine with the freshness of high altitude vineyards.

Made predominantly from Carricante, Etna's celebrated white grape, the 2025 reflects the variety's natural acidity and affinity for volcanic soils. The combination of elevation, cooling mountain air and mineral rich terrain produces a white with wonderful clarity, texture and a distinctly savoury personality.

Pale straw yellow with delicate green highlights. Lemon zest, green apple and white peach mingle with orange blossom, wild fennel and a hint of sea spray. The palate is lively and finely textured, with juicy citrus, subtle orchard fruit and a chalky, almost smoky mineral character. Bright acidity carries everything through a long, refreshing finish with a gentle saline bite.

Try it with Sicilian swordfish involtini, spaghetti alle vongole, or chargrilled zucchini with whipped ricotta and mint. Its citrus freshness also makes it a terrific match for raw kingfish with finger lime and olive oil.

Cellaring: Drink now to 2032. Delicious for its youthful freshness, with the acidity and structure to develop further complexity.