Rovittello Etna Rosso DOC Riserva Benanti

After twenty-five years of experience gained with the production of the historic Rovittello Etna Rosso, in 2015 the Benanti winery decided to reach new peaks of excellence by creating this new exclusive Riserva. Produced in very limited quantities, Rovittello Etna Rosso Riserva comes only from grapes harvested in the small parcel 341 of pre-phylloxera centenary vines, with a vinification, maturation and refinement period of up to 60 months. The result is an elegant and very long-lived wine.

Classification: Etna D.O.C. Rosso Riserva

Grape variety: Nerello Mascalese (90-95%), Nerello Cappuccio (5-10%). Nerello Mascalese (Negrello) grown as alberello (free standing bush). This is the main indigenous vine of the Etnean region. It has large mediumcompact bunches, with mediumsized grapes having skins light blue, very pruinose. Taste is sweet and vary tannic. Nerello Cappuccio or Mantellato (mantled), grown as alberello (free standing bush). The place of origin is unknown. It has medium-small sized compact bunches, medium-sized grapes, blueblack skins. Taste is sweet and slightly tannic

Production area: countryside Rovittello on the northern side of the Etna, Castiglione di Sicilia (CT)

Altitude: 750 m asl

Climate: high rainfall and humidity with great temperature changes throughtout the day

Soil: sandy, volcanic, very rich in minerals with subacid reaction

Training system: Alberello

Age of vines: centenarian vines, mostly prephylloxera, ungrafted

Vine density: 9,000-10,000 vines/ha

Yield: 55 q/ha

Harvest: manual harvest, in the last ten days of October

Vinification: fermentation takes place in a stainless steel vat at a controlled temperature of 25°C, with a long maceration, with the aid of Benanti’s own indigenous yeast, which was selected from local vineyards through years of research and experimentation in the celllar

Maturation: after malolactic fermentation in stainless steel, maturation occurs in large barrels of French oak (15hl) for about 24 months

Refining: in bottles for 12 months

Alcoholic content: 14% by vol

Color: red ruby with tints of garnet red

Smell: ethereal, intense, delicate with hints of vanilla, chestnut flowers and noble wood

Taste: elegant, mineral, harmonic, remarkably persistent and reasonably tannic

Serving temperature: 18-20°C, in glasses for red bodied wines

Gastronomic accompaniment: perfect with red meat, sauces, wild fowl and mature cheese

Duration: it benefits from long permanence in bottle, becoming more austere and mature 4-5 years after harvest.

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