Winemaker Notes
An extensive bouquet fills the glass with aromas ranging from apple to citrus fruit and ripe pineapple. Growing in a soil with a variety and vast amount of primitive rock types, it comes with extraordinary saltiness, an impressive body, elegance and crisp acidity on the palate, including a fresh and lively finish. An excellent aperitif and ideal companion to starters, pasta and fish.
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
Beautiful aromas of peaches, mangoes and lemons follow through to a full body, fresh and vivid acidity and a long, flavorful finish. The salty and minerally character comes through at the end. Drink or hold.
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Wine Enthusiast
You’ll find enticing scents of alpine wildflower, ripe orchard fruit and a hint of hazelnut on this elegantly structured white. Enveloping and savory, the creamy palate delivers mature yellow apple, yellow pear and white almond. Fresh acidity lifts the rich flavors.
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Decanter
Etna is arguably the hippest region in Italy, not just in Sicily, for its incredibly pure, mineral-intense, saline whites. This is just outside the DOC but with the same volcanic soils. Carricante with 10% Riesling. Perfect for sashimi and tartares.
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Wine Spectator
Lovely spice and floral notes waft through this fresh Pinot Bianco, which offers flavors of Anjou pear, candied lemon zest and smoky mineral. Creamy finish.
Approachable, aromatic and pleasantly plush on the palate, Pinot Blanc is a white grape variety most associated with the Alsace region of France. Although its heritage is Burgundian, today it is rarely found there and instead thrives throughout central Europe, namely Germany and Austria, where it is known as Weissburgunder and Alto Adige where it is called Pinot Bianco. Interestingly, Pinot Blanc was born out of a mutation of the pink-skinned Pinot Gris. Somm Secret—Chardonnay fans looking to try something new would benefit from giving Pinot Blanc a try.
A mountainous northern Italian region heavily influenced by German culture, Trentino-Alto Adige is actually made up of two separate but similar regions: Alto Adige and Trentino.
Trentino, the southern half, is primarily Italian-speaking and largely responsible for the production of non-native, international grapes. There is a significant quantity of Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio and Merlot produced. But Trentino's native and most unique red variety, Teroldego, while still rare, is gaining popularity. It produces a deeply colored red wine rich in wild blackberry, herb, coffee and cocoa.
The rugged terrain of German-speaking Alto Adige (also referred to as Südtirol) focuses on small-scale viticulture, with great value placed on local varieties—though international varieties have been widely planted since the 1800s. Sheltered by the Alps from harsh northerly winds, many of the best vineyards are at extreme altitude but on steep slopes to increase sunlight exposure.
Dominant red varieties include the bold, herbaceous Lagrein and delicate, strawberry-kissed, Schiava, in addition to some Pinot Nero.
The primary white grapes are Pinot grigio, Gewürztraminer, Chardonnay and Pinot blanc, as well as smaller plantings of Sauvignon blanc, Müller Thurgau. These tend to be bright and refreshing with crisp acidity and just the right amount of texture. Some of the highest quality Pinot grigio in Italy is made here.