2017 Tenuta Tascante Etna Bianco ‘Buonora’

Region: Mt. Etna < Sicily               

Grapes: Carricante

Farming Practice: Organic farming, SOStain/Viva certified; high-altitude volcanic soils; fermentation and brief aging in stainless steel; 12% ABV

The Etna project from central Sicily’s Tasca d’Almerita family, which they started in 2007 on the volcano’s high northern face. While the family’s main winery is the large Regaleali estate, Tascante is a stand-alone boutique project with a clear focus on sustainability.  This element is so important that they joined the SOStain initiative, an alliance of Sicilian wineries dedicated to sustainability on all fronts: environmental, with requirements around organic, chemical-free farming, cover crops, energy + water use, and packaging; and also the often overlooked social/economic impact - to be certified, they must source grapes and labor from the local area, ensuring jobs and income for the community.  It makes our hearts smile to see a big company not just talking the talk but walking the walk, with important, far-reaching and measurable goals like this.. And we love the results in the glass - classic and flinty, with a creamy texture, orange blossom and smoke, and a subtle salinity that emerges with air. Elegant and refined, it's a fresh, mineral-laden alternative for fans of Chablis and Sancerre. Etna wine prices have soared recently, and it’s rare to find an organic Etna B. of this caliber under $25.  Stock up.