Etna Rosso Benanti

Fresh, fragrant, fruity and mineral, Benanti's Etna Rosso is a versatile wine, perfect for pouring and appreciated even by the most demanding palates. Drink it now or let it age quietly in the cellar for 5 years.

Classification: Etna D.O.C. Rosso

Grape variety: Nerello Mascalese (80-85%) and Nerello Cappuccio (15-20%)

Production area: vineyards located on the northern, south-eastern and south-western slopes of Mount Etna

Altitude: from 450 to 900 m a.s.l.

Climate: mountain and high hill climate, humid and rainy in the cooler season, with high ventilation and luminosity and significant diurnal range

Soil: sandy, volcanic, rich in minerals, with sub-acid reaction

Training system: Head-trained bush vines ("alberello") and spurred cordon systems

Age of the vines: from 10 to 60 years

Vine density: from 6,000 to 8,000 vines/ha

Yield: 70-80 quintals/ha

Harvest: manual in October

Vinification: destemming and separate vinification of the two varieties

Fermentation: in stainless steel vats at a controlled temperature, with medium-length maceration, with the aid of Benanti’s own indigenous yeast, which was selected from local vineyards through years of research and experimentation in the cellar

Aging: Nerello Cappuccio matures exclusively in stainless steel. About 80% of the Nerello Mascalese matures in stainless steel, while the remaining 20% matures in second-passage French oak barriques for 8-10 months. After bottling, the wine refines for 2-3 months

Alcohol content: 13.5% by vol

Colour: pale ruby red

Nose: ethereal, intense, with hints of red fruits

Palate: balanced, dry, medium-bodied, mineral with a pleasant acidity and saline notes, red fruit aromas, persistent

Serving temperature: 18-19°C

Food pairings: a very versatile wine to be paired with white and red meats and cheeses but also with fish-based recipes

Bottled by the Benanti Viticoltori winemaker – Viagrande (CT) - Italy