2014 Aeris Wines Etna Bianco Superiore - Italy, Sicily, Etna DOC (5/18/2019)
Light hay in color, almost a Chablish-like green tinge, nose is light with a faint rocky note, beautifully medium intense mineral driven fruit with medium richness, nice saline streak, and a long, steely fruit finish. Fabulous, but young. (93 pts.)
Thinking about this wine last night. Had a dinner with Antonio Benanti.
Recently had the 2015 Planeta Carricante Sicilia Eruzione 1614. Wasn’t familiar with carricante but I loved the wine. The nose was very Chablis and White Burgundy like and very saline, mineral and steely as you described. Definitely going to pick up more of carricante! That and Arneis, Soave blends, and Sardina Vermentino, Verdicchio… With Italian wines, you never run out of options.
That Planeta is about 10% Riesling which makes it quite a bit more accessible in its youth than the straight up carricantes, but I also like it quite a bit
Interesting, I did not realize that. Elena Walch in Alto Adige makes a 50-50 blend of Chardonnay and Riesling. Interesting stuff.
Has anyone that has tasted this wine also tasted the three wines from Benanti?
As I recall, Kevin Harvey posted that Aeris is made by Salvi Foti from the plantings that we’re historically used for Pietramarina.
And that Pietramarina no longer has the same winemaker or vineyard source.
So it’s all kind of a moving target at this point.
George Chadwick posted on a comparative tasting last year but my read of it was that the youth of the wines and variations in process make comparisons pretty challenging this early in the game.
im glad you posted this because Ive been really curious about these wines backstory. Is this the winery thats also making wines in Cali too?
Yup