Before Etna became a hotspot for completely independent and globally sought-after red wines a good 10 years ago, the greater attention of traders and journalists - who were hardly interested in the region at the time - was primarily focussed on its white interpretations, which were almost without exception made from Carricante.
Carricante feels extremely at home high up on Mount Etna, has adapted to the wind, cold and heat and translates the volcanic terrain into salty and mineral flavours.
Today, the variety has been somewhat overshadowed by Nerello Mascalese, but the wines vinified from it are still exciting, especially when the grapes come from old vines.
SRC's Carricante vines for the Etna Bianco are 50 years old and more. They grow at an altitude of around 700 metres and their yield is a meagre 20 hl/ha.
The grapes are harvested by hand, destemmed and pressed after a short 12-hour maceration period. Spontaneous fermentation is followed by maturation in small steel tanks. Like all SRC wines, Etna Bianco is neither fined nor filtered.
Sunny and salty. Volcano and sea. Vibrant, lively, mineral and fresh. Crystal clear and puristic. Herbal, citrus and floral notes. Radiant and delicate. A delicate wine with immense depth.
Data sheet
Grape varieties: Carricante (80%), Grecanico (20%)
Vineyard: Crasà and Calderara
Harvest: by hand
Fermentation: spontaneous | wild yeasts
Ageing: in stainless steel tanks
Filtration: no
SO₂: < 10mg/litre
Alcohol content: 12% vol.
Closure: Natural cork
Drinking temperature: 10-12 °C
Perfect drinking maturity: from now - 2029
Content and price per litre: 0.75 l/(€44.87/l)
Maxime: All winegrowers listed with Vinonudo work with compost, organic fertiliser and natural preparations in their vineyards and refrain from using herbicides, pesticides and artificial fertilisers.
