2020 Benanti Nerello Cappuccio, Terre Siciliane IGT, Sicily, Italy

ABOUT THIS WINE

100% Nerllo Capuccio. Vineyard in Contrada Cavaliere, on the South-western slope of Mount Etna, within the municipality of Santa Maria di Licodia (CT). This area is known for its high elevation (900 m a.s.l. / 2,950 ft a.s.l.), low rainfall rate and abundant luminosity.

Vineyard of Nerello Cappuccio, a red grape variety that has been cultivated on Mount Etna for centuries. Though its origin is unknown, it is considered to be indigenous to the volcano. The volcanic soil is sandy, with an abundance of skeleton and minerals, with sub-acid reaction. The vines are up to 30 years old, organized in rows and trained with spur-pruned cordons, with a density of 6,500-7,000 plants per hectare and a yield of 7,000 kg/ha. The mountainous climate is humid but less rainy than in other areas of Etna in the colder season, with good ventilation and very significant temperature changes between day and night.

The grapes are hand-harvested in October and de-stemmed in the cellar. Fermentation takes place in stainless steel vats at controlled temperature, with a two weeks long maceration, using an indigenous yeast specifically selected in the vineyard by Benanti after years of direct experimentation. The wine matures exclusively in stainless steel for about 12 months and then ages in the bottle for about 6 months.

ABOUT THIS PRODUCER

Winemaking in the Benanti family can be traced back to the late 1800s in Viagrande. This deep-rooted passion for wine is what led Giuseppe Benanti to establish the namesake winery in 1988. Located on Mount Etna, “an island within the island” of Sicily, the Benanti family produces wines using 100% native grapes – Carricante, Nerello Mascalese and Nerello Cappuccio. With vineyards positioned on four different slopes of the Etna volcano: North, East, South-East and South-West, the climatic influence and volcanic soils from each slope combine to create territorial wines with a “sense of place.” Benanti is the only winery with vineyards on every slope of the Etna DOC area.

Benanti is the only winery with vineyards on every slope of the Etna DOC area.

After 25 years at the helm of the winery and greatly contributing to the development and growth of the whole region, Giuseppe passed the torch to his sons in 2012. Antonio and Salvino Benanti now lead the winery with the same vision and passion as their father, continuing the reputation as a very traditional producer and the pioneer of fine wine making on Mount Etna.