Territories & Wineries

Etna Bianco Contrada Taccione

Etna D.O.C.

100% Carricante

This wine is produced from Carricante at our winery Feudo di Mezzo in the heart of Etnean wine cultivation. We have developed a contemporary expression of this vine, cultivated according to the criteria of sustainability and organicity, in the splendid and unique terroir of Etna.

Awards

2019	Wine Enthusiast	94
	Wine Advocate Robert Parker	93
	James Suckling	92
	WinesCritic.com	92
	Falstaff	92
	Wine Spectator	90
	Jancis Robinson	17++
	Gambero Rosso	Bere Bene Oscar qualità/prezzo
2018	Wine Enthusiast	92
	WinesCritic.com	92
	Wine Advocate Robert Parker	91
	Wine Spectator	90
	Wine & Spirits	90
	Jancis Robinson	17
	I vini di Veronelli	Tre stelle rosse
2017	Guida essenziale ai vini d'Italia di D. Cernilli	94
	Decanter	93
	James Suckling	92
	Wine Enthusiast	92
	Wine Spectator	91
	Falstaff	91
	Vinous	90
2016	James Suckling	93
	Wine Enthusiast	92
	Vinous	89
	Gambero Rosso	Tre Bicchieri
	Decanter World Wine Awards	Commended 85 pt
2015	James Suckling	92
	Decanter World Wine Awards	87
	Wine Spectator	89
	Falstaff	90
	Vini Buoni d'Italia	4 stelle
2014	James Suckling	91
	Vinous	91
	Wine Advocate Robert Parker	90
	Decanter World Wine Awards	Silver (90 pt.)
	Sommelier Wine Award	Silver
	Wine Spectator	88
	Jancis Robinson	16,5
2013	Wine Enthusiast	92
	James Suckling	90
	Wine Spectator	89
2012	Decanter World Wine Awards	Silver
2010	Jancis Robinson	16,5

Go to Territory of Etna

Altimetry

690/720

Above sea level

Climate

21°Average temperature

Farming system

Guyot

Planting density

5.000 vines per hectare

Now

10.6°C

Cloudiness	27%
Humidity	89%
Wind	2.42mh →↗

First Vintage

2012

See vintages

2012
2013
2014
2015
2016

The amount is 10% higher compared to the 2011 vintage that was particularly poor, about 5% below average. Mount Etna The harvest seems to have a tremendous potential and we will be able to know more next year. Undoubtedly, this year the usual elegance of these wines grown on the volcano will give way to the power of the alcohol and tannins. However, this vintage seems to be characterized by wines with an above-average quality. The grapes are healthy and perfectly intact. This is definitely important for a mountain harvest, which by its very nature tends towards the rainy season.
It would be hard to imagine two harvests more different than those of 2012 and 2013. After the hot wines of last year, we have perhaps returned to a vintage more in the ‘Etna style’. A long dry summer, but not too hot, just perfect. However we did need the September rains, and the rain arrived and never seemed to finish! We waited patiently, and then a miracle arrived. On 15th October a sort of Indian Summer arrived and completely turned the vintage around. On Etna it is essential to harvest late to ensure the quality of the reds. It seems early to say but it seems that the whites indicate minerals and Nerello its variety.
After a first analysis, the differences as compared with the data of the last ten years seem less evident as compared with the other zones. In general, on Etna we recorded a very substantial vintage, better for whites than for reds, with rich and complex wines. The weather data to be highlighted are above all a dry summer which kept us on tenterhooks until the arrival of the decisive rains in September. The true difference was made, in the course of the year, by the evapotranspiration that recorded the highest values for the period, surpassed only by 2012, and here too by an important period of light in September. So a very linear vintage, without any shocks from a weather standpoint, ideal for the perfect ripening of the whites and functional for the reds.
Etna demonstrated all of its wayward character and personality, with breathtaking weather; eventually the whites are very good, aromatic and intense, perhaps slightly less acid than previous years, and the reds express an averagely good quality but without peaks, perhaps because the risk of worsening weather persuaded us to bring the harvest forward.
On Etna the 2016 vintage has absolutely been our very best since we began our activities on the volcano. It has been so for the white wines and also for our conception of the reds. The reasons are easy to see given the meteorological conditions; the summer was cool and refreshed by a useful rainfall, with very pleasant temperatures. Thus we arrived at the end of September in an idyllic situation for the growth/production balance and health of the grapes. The harvest, thanks to the stress-free summer, began with spectacular grapes and commenced about eight days early, allowing us to bring forward the end of the harvest thus avoiding the rains of the second half of October. The results are a fresh and aromatic Carricante and a Nerello Mascalese of great quality, without the excessive alcohol which is a defining feature in certain vintages, but with brilliant colour and ample tannins.

Time of Harvest

october

Vinification

The grapes are picked into crates and at once refrigerated at 8⁰C; selected by hand and sent for light destalking and soft pressing; the decanted must is racked and ferments at 15⁰C, in inox stainless steel and 15% of the must in tonneaux; the wine obtained remains on the lees with continuous movement until February