<\/p>\n
History.<\/span> Appellation.<\/span> On the mountain.<\/span> In the vineyard. In the cellar. In the glass. At the table. <\/p>\n
\n<\/b><\/strong>After almost twenty years of experience vinifying the well-known Etna Rosso Serra della Contessa, in 2015 Benanti decided to aim for new heights by focusing exclusively on the small, pre-phylloxera portion of the vineyard and extending the wine\u2019s vinification, maturation and refining period to 60 months, thereby creating this new, exclusive Etna Rosso Riserva produced in a very limited quantity.<\/p>\n
\n<\/b><\/strong>Etna D.O.C. Rosso Riserva<\/p>\n
\n<\/b><\/strong>Vineyard located in Contrada Monte Serra<\/a>, on the South-east slope\u00a0of Mount Etna, at an\u00a0elevation\u00a0of c.500\u00a0m. a.s.l.\u00a0(c.1,640 ft a.s.l.).<\/p>\n
\n<\/span><\/b><\/strong>Nerello Mascalese (c.85%), Etna\u2019s noble indigenous red variety, and Nerello Cappuccio (c.15%), a grape cultivated on Etna for centuries, co-planted in the same vineyard.
\nThe very steep vineyard is planted on a sandy, volcanic soil, rich in minerals and pumice lava stones, with sub-acid reaction. The head-trained bush vines (\u201calberello\u201d) are pre-phylloxera and ungrafted, with a planting density of 9,000 to 10,000 vinestocks per hectare and a yield of 4,500 kg\/ha. The area\u2019s high hill climate, mitigated by the proximity to the Ionian Sea, is humid and rainy in the cooler season, with constant good ventilation and high luminosity.<\/p>\n
\n<\/span><\/b><\/strong>The grapes are hand-harvested and selected in late September or early October. Fermentation takes place in a stainless steel vat at a controlled temperature of 25\u00b0 C, with a long maceration, with the aid of Benanti\u2019s own indigenous yeast, which was selected from local vineyards through years of research and experimentation in the cellar. Malolactic fermentation takes place in stainless steel, then maturation occurs in large barrels of French oak (15hl) for about 24 months. The refining period in the bottle is 12 months.<\/p>\n
\n<\/span><\/b><\/strong>The color is ruby with light tints of garnet. The nose is ethereal and intense, with hints of wild berries, spices and noble wood. The palate is full, elegant, harmonic, mineral, significantly persistent and reasonably tannic.
\nServing temperature: 18 \u2013 19\u00b0C<\/p>\n
\n<\/span><\/b><\/strong>An elegant, rewarding, age-worthy wine\u00a0ideal with game, red meat and mature\u00a0cheese.<\/p>\n