Carricante takes its name from carico, meaning 'charged, loaded, burdened' which refers to the abundant fruit on the vine. 100% Carricante from the northern slopes of Mount Etna, 800 metres above sea level.
The vines are bush trained and grown on sandy loam soil. Vinification and maturation are in stainless steel and the wine shows floral and lemon curd notes with pronounced minerality and unabashed acidity typical to Etna.
The 2015 Etna Bianco Superiore Pietra Marina (100% Carricante) is just so lovely. The wine is ethereal, light and delicate. On first nose, you get precise aromas of white peach, zesty pear and blanched almond. As the wine fleshes out and takes on more volume in the glass, it displays a beautiful array of mineral nuances. Those salty flinty notes will continue to evolve over the next ten years. It ages on the fine lees for 24 months in steel vats. Some 9,000 bottles were produced.
93 points Monica Larner, Dec 2018, The Wine Advocate, Drink 2018-2028