2018 Benanti "Pietramarina" Etna Bianco Superiore

The 2018 Etna Bianco Superiore Pietra Marina captivates with a savory blend of crushed rocks, raw almonds and musky dried apricot. It's deeply textural with a saline tinge to its orchard fruits and brisk acidity that maintains energy throughout. The 2018 leaves a lemon and mineral twang through the long, lightly structured finale as hints of liquid stone linger. The PietraMarina is currently wrapped up tight with youthful poise, yet it should blossom beautifully in a few years. (EG)

Benanti's Pietra Marina vineyard is situated in Contrada Rinazzo, Milo, on the east side of Etna. Here, at 800m, is one of the wettest places in Sicily. Produced since 1990, this Superiore is completely unoaked but undergoes regular batonnage during its 24 months of maturation in stainless steel, which is followed by a further 12 months in bottle. Flinty, smoky and saline, this is a classy white with a stony, vertical character but not at all lacking in body: the richness from the lees combines with beautifully sweet stone fruits to produce an alluring wine, made all the more exciting by a twist of seaweed on the finish. Still youthful, this should be tucked away out of sight and out of mind for a few years. (JB)