2019 Etnella Attia Rosso

Region: Mt. Etna < Sicily < Italy

Grapes: Nerello Mascalese

Vineyard/Cellar Stats: Organic/biodynamic farming, 70-year old vines on black, rocky, volcanic soil; whole cluster press, stainless steel fermentation with short skin maceration; bottled unfined/unfiltered with no added SO2; zero-zero; 10.5% ABV

Winemaker: Davide Bentivegna

High on the slopes of Mount Etna, Davide Bentivegna grows 4 hectares of vines for his Etnella winery, alongside olives with which he makes three "crus' of EVOO, and fruit trees for his famous jams.  Attia is Etnella's skin-macerated white wine, from 70-year old Chasselas grapes on his vineyard in Passopisciaro, spitting distance from mighty Etna's active lava flows.  

Light and juicy, this is easy-drinking, young Nerello Mascalese, meant for chilling.  Like all wines of Etna, you get an intense mineral concentration, but unlike most Sicilian wines (known for their warmth and generosity, like the Sicilian people) Attia is almost shy, without the alcoholic exuberance and rich fruit one typically finds on the island. Tastes like candied cherries on the (volcanic) rocks, lots of flint and mineral behind the fruit.  Drink with pasta, pizza, seafood even.

SERVE SLIGHTLY CHILLED