Etna Bianco Arcurìa
Arcurìa is a single contrada — one named parcel of ancient lava flow on the northern face of Mount Etna. Here, Carricante digs deep into volcanic sand at 600 meters, and Graci does as little as possible: wild fermentation, long rest on the lees, no makeup, no shortcuts. What emerges is a white of rare depth and salinity, built to evolve for years — a grand cru of the volcano.
Appellation: Etna Bianco DOC
Type: Dry white
Varietal: 100% Carricante
Color: Brilliant straw-yellow.
Bouquet: Fresh-cut white orchard fruit, citrus zest, herbs and a crisp minerality.
Palate: On the nose it offers a rich, elegant bouquet, with aromas of citrus, orange blossom, green apple, medicinal herbs and lava stone.
Alcohol: 12.5%
Food Pairing: Raw and grilled fish, shellfish, richer seafood preparations, white meats, risotto, aged pecorino.
Vineyard Location: A 2.5-hectare vineyard in the historic Contrada Arcurìa, in the hamlet of Passopisciaro, municipality of Castiglione di Sicilia, on the northern slope of Etna
Altitude: 600 meters (1,950 feet) above sea level.
Soil:The vines grow on volcanic soils rich in minerals, which give the wine tension, freshness and aromatic depth.
Training: Alberello grown espalier.
Vine Density: 6,000 - 10,000 plants per hectare.
Vinification: The grapes are vinified in steel after slow whole-cluster pressing, without destemming. Fermentation occurs spontaneously, without selected yeasts, in keeping with the authenticity of the terroir and the vintage.
Aging: The wine matures in steel and, in part, in 15-hl casks for 12 months, followed by a further 12 months of aging in bottle.
2012 Etna Bianco Arcuria – Wine Spectator Recommended Whites (Oct 2014)
2011 Etna Bianco Arcuria – Gambero Rosso’s Vini d’Italia – Tre Bicchieri
2011 Etna Bianco Arcuria – 93 Points – James Suckling (Aug 2013)
"Exciting aromas of dried fruit such as pineapple and apple with hints of basalt. Full body plus lots of fruit and a tangy, intense finish. Wonderful white from Carricante. Drink now."
2011 Etna Bianco Quota 600– 90 Points – Vinous Media (February 2013)
“The 2011 Etna Bianco possesses gorgeous freshness, vibrancy and pure energy. Lemon, white flowers, crushed rocks and savory herbs are layered into the long, beautifully nuanced finish supported by insistent veins of salinity. The Bianco is 70% Carricante and 30% Cataratto.” ~A.G.
2011 Etna Bianco Arcuria – 90 Points – Robert Parker Wine Advocate (#212 May 2014)
"Made with 100% Carricante, the 2011 Etna Bianco Arcuria is a single vineyard expression from the Passopisciaro area on the north side of Etna. This white wine definitely shows more smoke and toast thanks to moderate contact with oak. One third of the wine sees tonneaux and the rest is refined in cement. The depth of the fruit stands out and you even get a touch of candied fruit or dried apricot. Not to be missed of course, are those distinctive flinty mineral notes that speak so clearly of the wine's volcanic origins. A year or two in the bottle would bode well for the wine's evolution." ~ M.L.
