Firriato - Etna Bianco 'Le Sabbie dell'Etna 2019

Firriato - Etna Bianco 'Le Sabbie dell'Etna 2019

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Description

" Le Sabbie dell’Etna Bianco is a wine that is fully established in Firriato’s history. A label of the volcano’s pioneering oenology; it combines the qualities of Carricante and Catarratto - two vines that are symbolic of Etna’s viticultural tradition. The terroir is completely different from the rest of Sicily, with cold winters and less intense sunlight. The grapes here have slower ripening times and take on their fragrant aromas in a more linear way. Freshness and fragrance distinguish this wine together with its persistent tangy taste. Le Sabbie dell’Etna Bianco bewitches the senses with its aromas and flavour. The volcanic soil characterised by its high drainage capacity gives the grapes, and therefore the wine, a unique minerality enriched by the aromatic profile of Carricante, which in vinification gives elegant nuances of white fruit; and the supporting structure of Catarratto." 

--------THE PRODUCER--------

Firriato

Firriato are the first Zero Impact/Carbon Neutral winery in Italy.  

In so many ways, from climate to the fish in the sea, the east and west coasts of Sicily are very different, as further evidenced by the wines made on those coastal regions. Firriato, founded by Salvatore by Di Gaetano in 1984 and now involving his wife, Vinzia Novara, as CEO, their daughter Irene as chairwoman and her husband, COO Federico Lombardo di Monte Iato, pioneered modern viticulture around Trapani in the west and Mount Etna in the east. 

The family has also been involved with building first-class resorts on their properties: Baglio Sorìa, outside of Trapani, is a reclaimed farmers’ village overlooking the vineyards and the sea, with a restaurant and a “wine experience” tour and tasting; Calamoni, on the small coastal island of Favignana, has a secluded, very private residence in the middle of the vineyard just meters from the sea; Cavanera Etna in Etna is also set within the vineyards.

 

 

--------THE GRAPE--------

Carricante and Cataratto

Carrcante is an ancient white wine grape variety from eastern Sicily, thought to have been growing on the volcanic slopes of Mount Etna for at least a thousand years. The variety is known for its pronounced acidity, and the high yields which gave rise to its name (carica means "load" in Italian).
The best examples come from vines grown in volcanic soils, at high altitude (Etna's vineyards stretch up as high as 3940ft /1200m).

Well-adapted to their environment, Carricante vines respond well to the high diurnal temperature variations that characterise the climate around Mt. Etna. 

On the whole, Carricante wines offer a broad range of refreshing citrus aromas – anything from lemon and lime to grapefruit to orange – alongside cooling herbal notes such as mint and aniseed. An underlying mineral, slatey character is also to be found in the finest examples. When aged in stainless steel and without lees contact, notes of tart green apple shine through – a searing reminder of the variety's naturally high acidity. Weightier Carricante wines (particularly later-harvested examples) are complemented by honeyed hints and the creamy texture that results from lees contact.


--------THE REGION--------

Sicily

Sicily is the island off the south coast of Italy. It is famous for being home to Mt Etna - now a region that is producing some of Sicily's most exciting red and white wines. Overall, Sicily is home to a raft of interesting whites and reds that are light and interesting to fuller in body and age-worthy.