Tornatore Etna Bianco Pietrarizzo 2023

The Tornatore family have farmed the Etna terroir in Sicily since 1865, and Francesco Tornatore rebuilt the estate in 2010 around the village of Castiglione di Sicilia on the volcano's cooler northern slope. This single-vineyard Pietrarizzo white is made from Carricante, Etna's leading white grape, planted at altitude on volcanic soils of decomposed lava, sand and ash. Height and the volcano's mass give a wide swing between warm days and cold nights, and this diurnal range preserves the grape's naturally high acidity while the free-draining mineral soils concentrate flavour. The wine spends five months in barrel, a restrained élevage that adds a light frame and gentle texture without covering the fruit; slow oxygen exchange through the wood rounds the wine while lees contact builds a subtle savoury weight. Carricante's firm structure means it takes well to this handling and rewards a few years in bottle. In the glass it is pale straw with a green tint, offering lemon, green apple and white flowers over a smoky, flinty note that reflects the volcanic ground. The palate is dry, taut and saline, with real length and a stony finish. Serve at 9 to 11 degrees. It suits grilled fish and shellfish.