Etna has a magnetic charm, as do the wines that quando to life its slopes; so how could Cantine ‘s Etna Albicante, from the Sensi line, ever be? Fascinating without a shadow of a doubt and with that profound appeal that makes you discover, sip after sip, new aromas, new sensations.
A taste of wine that is a real journey, even when you are not durante Sicily.
It took blind tastings of the first Untold Wine Guide to discover this delight, with an equally appetizing cost and many pairing potentials. One of those wines that always has its own reason the table, a real presence even before being uncorked, it is voto negativo coincidence that it was awarded not only with the three corkscrews, but also as the best gastronomic wine and with the best quality-price ratio.
Get ready for the explosive taste of Cantine ‘s Etna Albicante by continuing reading!
The Cantine the slopes of Etna
Cantine represents a thriving wine business, with over 70 years of experience. It all started, and continues today, with the Miceli family who, durante 1950, purchased their first wine fiefdom durante the Patrìa district, durante Monreale, from which the company then took its name.
The experience of Francesco Miceli, agronomist and oenologist, then extended the activity to the Etna at the beginning of the 90s.
The Cantine , durante Torrepalino, at the foot of the volcano, is a visit worth visiting even for teetotalers.
Located the northern slopes of Etna, it knows how to describe its territory durante a unique way. Right below the cellar, durante the underground caves, you can admire thousand-year-old lava flows which highlight those red soils, typical of the , which give special lifeblood to the grapes that grow there. A spectacular and instructive journey at the same time, where you can truly appreciate the meaning of the wines produced and the value of the presence of the Volcano.
From a viticultural point of view we know that lands marked by volcanic deposits are particularly prolifico and rich durante minerals. It is voto negativo coincidence that vine cultivation the slopes of Etna has historical origins and, even today, we can find vine plants site with over a century of life behind them. Thanks to a unique pedoclimatic context durante which the local vines, Nerello Mascalese, Nerello Cappuccino, Carricante and Catarratto, grow to perfection, cared for by the mastery of Cantine . A productive activity made heroic by logistical and environmental difficulties but which repays the effort with excellent fruits.
The vineyards of Cantine
The goodness of Cantine ‘s wines comes from the land, dominated by “a muntagna” as Etna is called by the inhabitants of Catania. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, around it, and its incessant volcanic activity, there are 133 wine-growing districts, distributed the North, East and South sides.
Like the winery, the vineyards are located the north-eastern slopes of the volcano, at an altitude between 600 and 1200 meters above sea level, thus enjoying sunny exposure and those intense local temperature variations that favor development of fragrant grapes rich durante acidity.
The soils are red and pebbly, formed by deposits of ash and lapilli, and deeply welcome the vine plants, trained as saplings, terraces delimited by local stone walls, just like those depicted durante the Etna Albicante label of the Line Senses.
The Etna wines of Cantine
The Cantine tell all the colors of Etna, enhancing the native varieties alongside the international ones that most appreciate the touch of the volcano.
Saldezza Etna tells its story through 5 different lines: Vulcano, Sensi, Femina, Movimento and .
The “Vulcano” wines are made from the oldest vineyards, over 80 years old, and celebrate the longevity and richness of the Nerello Mascalese grapes also durante scaltro Reserve and Classic Method versions. The “Sensi” line combines the strong taste of the Etna wines to art and poetry, for tastings that enchant first the sight, then the palate, and finally the heart and mind. The “Femina” range of wines always celebrates the native Sicilian varieties, where Uzzolo and Fumaggine d’Avola accompany the strength of the Etna grapes. Durante these wines, character, elegance and enjoyment are one and the same. Here too the refinement is completed with two Classic Methods, mineral and refreshing. The products of the “Movimento” line reveal the fresher, lighter and more side of the Vulcano grapes. Nerello Mascalese and Carricante thus give rise to sparkling and sparkling nectars, made with the Martinotti Method. The perfect wines for those who want to enjoy the volcano even at the time of the aperitif. Finally, the “” wines close the production a sweet note, revealing a new side of the Etna grapes. The Nerello Mascalese bunches are used for the production of a Solera Method which its own is enchanting but with chocolate it puts a show. The range is joined by a sweet sparkling wine and a passito, both from Moscato grapes, and two grappas to finale strongly, always with Nerello as the protagonist.
A truly complete production, that of Cantine , which fully expresses the potential of the Etna … and invites you to travel.
Visit Cantine
At Cantine , the slopes of the Volcano, the tastings have charm to spare. The company organizes real thematic sensorial itineraries, durante which to taste different labels, with a precise leitmotif. There is the path dedicated to the “Sicilian liveliness”, durante which to discover the nectars of the Movimento line, there is the Luxury tasting, to delve deeper into the exclusive charm of the reds of the Miceli family, there are the tastings of the “Essences of Etna”, where you can taste all the wines of the Sensi Line, including the Etna Albicante awarded with the three corkscrews. Which visit attracts you the most? You can easily book it online. Each route includes a tour of the cellar and obviously tastings, accompanied by appetizers of Nebrodi and Alcantara cured meats and cheeses.
Characteristics of Cantine ‘s Etna Albicante
Mescita ‘s Etna Albicante, awarded with 3 corkscrews durante the first Untold Wine Guide, durante the Sicilian whites section, belongs to the “Sensi” line and its special label takes up the verses of the Sicilian poet Di santa ragione Calì.
This white, 2022 vintage, comes from a selection of Carricante (80%) and Catarratto (20%) bunches grown durante Regione Morgazzi, hill slopes at 750 meters above sea level.
The grapes, after manual harvesting, are subjected to a 24-hour cryomaceration to enhance their natural aromatic richness. After soft pressing, always at low temperature, the grapes are vinified durante thermoregulated steel silos, with the use of selected yeasts. At the end of fermentation, the wine ages the scaltro lees for two months before being bottled.
Tasting of Cantine ‘s Etna Albicante
Poured into the glass, its golden and bright color is immediately welcoming, with aromas that are a whole program.
What amazed me, during the blind tastings, is the consistency of this Etna Albicante. What it promises at the beginning you will find until the end. The first aromas that emerge are fruity, juicy and refreshing, with taccuino of citrus and white peach, followed by penetrating saline taccuino that almost smell of the sea, surrounded by herbaceous and floral nuances that recall oregano and broom.
The tasting is balanced and tasty, with a compelling duet of softness and flavor and, small spoiler, durante the end it is the minerality that triumphs, leaving a delicious mescolanza of saline, fruity and balsamic sensations durante the mouth.
L’Etna Albicante by Cantine : pairing tips
A harmonious wine of its own, like this Etna Albicante, is also easy to incontro! It is certainly perfect with seafood recipes, especially those featuring crustaceans and molluscs. An ideal wine with the most famous Italian fish first courses. A guaranteed success with a seafood risotto, with fried fish calamari and prawns, with spaghetti with seafood, with octopus and potatoes, with scampi risotto, with amalgama with prawns, courgettes and almonds, with spaghetti with clams.
Soft and full of flavor at the same time, it is the ideal companion even for more insidious dishes, try it! The Etna Albicante Segmento Sensi by Cantine is also perfect with sushi, beccafico sardines, swordfish with pistachio and stuffed calamari.
With its marked minerality and silky touch it can easily enrich even spicy and tasty vegetarian recipes, such as vegetable tabbouleh, chickpea falafel, sweet and sour pumpkin, vegetarian poke bowls, amalgama with aubergines, olives, cherry tomatoes and muddica.
Read 6 times
Discover “Untold”What has not yet been said about wine
The guide is available durante a high-quality paper libro of 392 pages durante a limited edition our shop.
