For years, the wine spotlight on Sicily’s Mount Etna belonged largely to Etna Rosso, the volcanic, Nerello Mascalese-based reds beloved by sommeliers and wine lovers. But lately, Etna Bianco has entered the chat in a very serious way. The throughline I found across these Etna Bianco wines included precision, salinity, earthiness, volcanic energy, and a “nothing is gratuitous” quality. In fact, after tasting through a lineup of Etna Bianco recently, I’m starting to wonder if the whites aren’t quietly eclipsing the reds altogether. Instead of traditional tasting notes (like I do for Decanter HERE), these are freestyle (unedited) notes I typed as I tasted 50+ wines at a four-hour tasting event while in Sicily for Etna Days. Lord, this is good. I’m trapped in “amazing wine hell” trying to narrow these down. A classic, archetypal expression of Etna Bianco with acidity, mineral drive, and that lifted volcanic energy. An almost alpine nose, though there’s nothing “alpine” about Sicily, so perhaps I made that up? Laser sharp, fresh, and tart on the nose. Orchard fruit, fresh pear, and exotic spice notes that lean star anise-adjacent. There’s a beautiful, earthy groundedness to these Etna wines that feels primal. If you love high-acid, fresh, mineral-driven white wines and still aren’t drinking Etna Bianco, what are you even doing? Are you there, God? It's me, Brianne. Perfection in its simplicity. Showing beautifully as it warms slightly in the glass. Helloooo minerality and earthiness. Direct and focused. If you’ve never had Etna Bianco before, start here. Every single Etna wine seems to have a completely different aromatic profile, which makes the category even more exciting, like the volcano itself. A fun funghi funk. Super complex and lengthy finish that isn’t ostentatious, but judiciously complex. Etna doesn't say anything without meaning it. I'm sad to pour this one out. Super mineral on the nose. Linear and precise while somehow layered and complex at the same time (tension). If this were the only white wine I could drink for the rest of my life, I’d be ok. At this point, I’m convinced there are no mediocre Etna wines. Restrained. Nothing about Etna feels gratuitous. If this is the estate’s entry-level bottling, it massively overdelivers. Funghi funk wrapped in a blanket of spice that practically begs for food. Give me roasted eggplant with grated ricotta salata on top or Etna porcini mushrooms. A colleague recommended I try this producer, and now I see why. A distinct campfire note on the nose that only gets more compelling in the glass. A beautiful wine. That earthy rootiness I love so much in Etna. Salty, briny, and with sea-like flavors. I want this with simple steamed clams or perhaps pasta alle vongole. Simple and primary. The simplicity here is what makes this wine so perfect. Classic Etna. Superb. Slightly generous by Etna standards, but still food-friendly with excellent acidity and flavor concentration. A fantastic by-the-glass introduction to the category. Generous fruit. Super easy to understand yet satisfying to the wine-savvy aficionado. Etna wine can sometimes make you work, but this one rolls out the red carpet for you. More earthy. Holy shitballs, this nose is amazing. Earthy. The precision of the fruit here is almost surreal, like biting into some mythical storybook fruit that only exists on Etna. Give me that funky, weird, secondary stuff. I'm all over it. Simple and primary, with some generosity, and a prominent mineral vibe. How can people say this is not a tasting note? Give me all of the food with this. Some kind of hard, aged cheese with those crystals in it. Maybe tinned fish? Yazzz queen. This is exactly why Italian whites remain criminally underrated. Fresh, high-acid, mouthwatering, and deeply saline with a beautiful savory edge. Simple here feels like a compliment rather than a critique. Clean, bright, and driven by an acid backbone. I find it impossible to be in a bad mood if this wine is in my glass. Oh, Jesus, this is good. For the reasons that Italian whites are underrated: high acid, food-friendly, and mouthwatering. WHAT ELSE DO YOU WANT FROM ME? I've never tried tinned shellfish, but that's what I want to eat with this: tinned mussels, clams, and oysters. A pretty, fruit-forward nose gives way to gorgeous texture and shape on the palate. If I had to assign a shape to this wine, it would be a square. A distinctive herbal note of pine and minty. Almost forest-driven, considering that “frontebosco” means in front of the forest, which this block of the vineyard is. Holy hell, this is good. Fresh and sea-sprayed on the nose with a saline energy. “Frontemare” or “front of the sea” feels exactly right. One of the most distinctive wines in the lineup aromatically, with slightly oxidative and almost faintly fortified vibes that recall salty sherry. Savory, saline, and fascinating. I want this with tonnato or tinned fish.Azienda Agricola Calcagno Primazappa 2023
Azienda Agricola Camuglia Grottarinotto 2024
Benanti Pietra Marina 2020
Biondi Outis 2024
Biondi Pianta 2022
I Custodi Delle Vigne Dell’Etna Ante Etna Bianco 2022
Monteleone Etna Bianco 2024
Monteleone Anthemis Etna Bianco 2023
Neri Società Agricola Etna Bianco 2023
Palmento Costanzo Contrada Santo Spirito 2022
Pietradolce Archineri Bianco 2023
Tenuta Delle Terre Nere Etna Bianco 2024
Tenuta Delle Terre Nere Etna Bianco Calderara Sottana 2024
Tenuta Ferrata Veni 2022
Alta Mora - Cusumano Etna Bianco 2023
Alta Mora - Cusumano Alta Mora Arrigo 2022
Tasca D’Almerita – Tenuta Tascante Contrada Sciaranuova 2023
Tenute Dei Ciclopi Etna Bianco 2023
Maugeri Etna Bianco Superiore Contrada Volpare 2024
Maugeri Etna Bianco Superiore Contrada Volpare Frontebosco 2024
Maugeri Etna Bianco Superiore Contrada Praino Frontemare 2024
Tenute Dei Ciclopi Etna Bianco Superiore 2022
