About this wine
Vineyard and terroir
Particella No. 341 is a small terraced parcel in Contrada Dafara Galluzzo, in upper Rovittello within Castiglione di Sicilia, on Mount Etna’s northern slope. It lies at approximately 750 m a.s.l. The sandy volcanic soil is mineral-rich and sub-acid, with a measured soil pH of 6.2. The mountain climate is humid, rainy and often snowy during the colder season, with strong ventilation and marked day–night temperature variation.
Nerello Mascalese and Nerello Cappuccio are co-planted. The approximately century-old vines are ungrafted and pre-phylloxera, head-trained as short-pruned alberello bush vines on small terraces retained by dry lava-stone walls. Planting density is 9,000–10,000 vines per hectare and yield is 5,500 kg/ha.
Grapes
Approximately 90% Nerello Mascalese and 10% Nerello Cappuccio.
Vinification
The grapes are picked and selected by hand during the final ten days of October, destemmed, and softly pressed. Fermentation takes place in stainless-steel vats at controlled temperature; the main wine page specifies 25°C. A proprietary indigenous yeast selected by Benanti from local vineyards after years of experimentation is used. Maceration is long, specified as 20–21 days in the technical profile. Malolactic fermentation takes place in stainless steel.
Ageing
Maturation occurs mostly in 15 hl French-oak casks for at least 24 months, followed by 12 months in bottle. The project launched with the 2015 vintage extended the combined vinification, maturation, and refinement cycle to 60 months.
Technical data
Alcohol: 13–14.5% vol.
Tasting profile
Pale ruby with light garnet reflections. The bouquet is fine, ethereal, floral, intense, spicy, and delicate, with ripe-fruit, chestnut-flower, and fine-wood notes. The palate is dry, mineral, harmonious and persistent, with elegant, fine-grained tannins and balanced structure.
Serving and pairing
Serve at 18–19°C. An age-worthy red suited to red meat, game, sauces, and mature cheeses.
Label / history
After almost thirty years of producing the historic Rovittello Etna Rosso, Benanti created this Riserva in 2015 by restricting the fruit source to the small pre-phylloxera section of the vineyard and lengthening the overall production and maturation cycle. Production is described as extremely limited.
The 2015 vintage was selected by Wine Spectator for OperaWine 2026, when Benanti was named among Italy’s top wineries and invited to participate in the Vinitaly tasting event.
