2014 Benanti, Etna DOC, Rosso (RT92) At age 10 I find this in its primetime drinking window, displaying perfect evolution of the bouquet and palate, balanced exquisitely between secondary and tertiary notes. With its light garnet cast, the generous bouquet reveals notes of wild strawberry liqueur, sour red cherry compote, layers of smoky terroir and finishes with distinct minerality and a wisp of volcanic ash. The palate is medium weight, showing soft, round fruit with nice acidity, and supple tannins to make it perfect for pairing with smoked charcuterie or a meaty pasta dish. It would even pair perfectly with grilled meats and sausages. The midpalate fills in with hearty bass notes, I find this particularly attractive for the price point, and while I don’t often feature a wine that’s been in my cellar for a number of years in my Hot Picks section, this morning I’m inclined to do so, as the price on this, and the top value it represents makes it a wine to buy and cellar for the midterm. HOT PICK! Drink now-2028 Tasted November 2024
Current vintages are available in the US market for low-to-mid $20 range. Buy now, cellar for a few years and smile!
Benanti is a family name dating back to the early 1700’s which is synonymous with Mount Etna and its storied history of viticulture. In the latter part of the last century, Giuseppe Benanti began producing wine from local Etna grapes. Rovittello Etna Rosso DOC 1990 and Pietra Marina Etna Bianco Superiore DOC 1990, were the first wines released to the market in 1993 Today this winery sets a standard of excellence, grounded in its long tradition and commitment to preserving the historical indigenous varieties of Mt Etna, both red and white. The winery is managed by Giuseppe Benanti’s two sons, Antonio and Salvino Benanti, and they are passionate about advancing their winery and the grapes of Mt Etna. The team at Benanti produces approximately 250,000 bottles under 16 different labels, both still and sparkling, annually.
The base Etna Rosso is crafted from a blend of young and old vines varying from 10 to 60 years and is typically a blend of 80-85% Nerello Mascalese and 15-20% Nerello Cappuccio. Grown in the mountain and hillside vineyards on sandy, volcanic soils rich in minerals at sites varying from 1500 to upwards of 2900 plus feet. The grapes that make up this wine come from optimally oriented vineyards on the northern, south-eastern and south-western slope of Mt Etna, where the vines are trained using albarello vines with spurred cordon systems in relatively high density. Grapes are hand harvested, destemmed and the varieties fermented separately, using Benanti’s very own indigenous yeast. which was selected from local vineyards through years of research and experimentation at the winery. About 80% of the Nerello Mascalese matures in stainless while the remaining 20% matures in second-passage French oak barriques for 8-10 months while the Nerello Cappuccio matures only in stainless. After final blending and bottling, the wine is aged for 2-3 months prior to being released into the market.
