Terra Costantino de Aetna Etna Bianco 2019
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James
Suckling -
Robert
Parker
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Inviting, delicate aromas of fresh citrus and savory herbs. Medium-bodied on the palate. A perfect match with fish and poultry dishes or risotto.
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
This shows how powerful the dry whites from the carricante grape can get, while still retaining freshness and mineral bite. Very focused with tons of candied citrus, angelica and pine nuts at the long, driving finish. From organically grown grapes. Drink or hold.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Made with an organic blend of 80% Carricante, 15% Catarratto and 5% Minnella, the Terra Costantino 2019 Etna Bianco de Aetna shows a lot of richness and fruit concentration. That extra density is a characteristic of this vintage and is probably more evident at the lower elevations of Etna, or at 450 to 550 meters above sea level where the estate's 10-hectare vineyard is positioned. These conditions are especially suited to this wine that boasts plenty of orchard fruit and tropical intensity, with a smooth, mid-weight palate. Production is 15,000 bottles.
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From the Terra Costantino vineyards on Etna’s south-eastern slope at Contrada Blandano, situated in the Viagrande territory, we can see the sea and taste the windblown tang of salt. The great volcano that sits behind the property protects the vines from frosts brought by the northerly ‘Tramontana’ wind. The estate, comprised of a single ten-hectare plot sitting between 450 and 550 meters above sea level, lies in the heart of the Etna DOC zone.
Terra Costantino grows exclusively native Etna varieties: white-skinned Carricante and Catarratto grapes and red-skinned Nerello Mascalese and Nerello Cappuccio. In full respect to territory and environment, all wines are certified organic.
Carricante has grown on the slopes of Sicily’s Mt. Etna for the last thousand years. It is the dominant grape in Etna Bianco DOC blends, with Catarratto as a possible minor blending partner. The best examples come from volcanic soils at higher altitudes where a large diurnal temperature shift allows slow and steady ripening and the development of Carricante’s naturally high acidity. Somm Secret—A vine variety capable of high yields if not tended to properly, Carricante gets its name from, carica, the Italian word for “load.”
A large, geographically and climatically diverse island, just off the toe of Italy, Sicily has long been recognized for its fortified Marsala wines. But it is also a wonderful source of diverse, high quality red and white wines. Steadily increasing in popularity over the past few decades, Italy’s fourth largest wine-producing region is finally receiving the accolades it deserves and shining in today's global market.
Though most think of the climate here as simply hot and dry, variations on this sun-drenched island range from cool Mediterranean along the coastlines to more extreme in its inland zones. Of particular note are the various microclimates of Europe's largest volcano, Mount Etna, where vineyards grow on drastically steep hillsides and varying aspects to the Ionian Sea. The more noteworthy red and white Sicilian wines that come from the volcanic soils of Mount Etna include Nerello Mascalese and Nerello Cappuccio (reds) and Carricante (whites). All share a racy streak of minerality and, at their best, bear resemblance to their respective red and white Burgundies.
Nero d’Avola is the most widely planted red variety, and is great either as single varietal bottling or in blends with other indigenous varieties or even with international ones. For example, Nero d'Avola is blended with the lighter and floral, Frappato grape, to create the elegant, Cerasuolo di Vittoria, one of the more traditional and respected Sicilian wines of the island.
Grillo and Inzolia, the grapes of Marsala, are also used to produce aromatic, crisp dry Sicilian white. Pantelleria, a subtropical island belonging to the province of Sicily, specializes in Moscato di Pantelleria, made from the variety locally known as Zibibbo.