The second set of wines tasted at the ViniMilo 2025 White Grape Identity of Etna Masterclass was from the Maugeri estate. Brandon and I visited this producer during ViniMilo 2024 and I reported on that here. In that post I pointed out that Robert Camuto (writing in Wine Spectator) had identified Maugeri as one of the wineries to watch. Since then, the accolades have continued to pour in:
- Gambero Rosso awarded Maugeri the Emerging Wines of 2025 title in its wine guide of the same year based on the winery’s “determination, vision, and commitment.”
- Gambero Rosso also awarded Tre Bichieri to the estate’s Etna Bianco Superiore Contrada Volpare 2023 “which captures the sophisticated complexity of Milo’s Carricante.”
The Maugeri wines tasted at the Masterclass were the 2024 and 2022 Contrada Volpares in that order.
The growing season notes from Brandon Tokash are as follows:
2024 — Spring and summer were dry and townsfolk were wondering what was going on. A very hot, dry summer led to some concern for the grapes. A late July 3 weekend rain saved it all, providing enough moisture for the plants to get through until late August and September when they received additional water. In the end it turned out to be a very good vintage for Etna Bianco Superiore.
2022 — This was a hot, dry summer, hotter than normal especially at night. I thought that the Carricante was bigger, perhaps rounder with less tension and acid. Not my favorite year.The grapes for the 2022 vintage were cryomacerated for 3 hours after which they were vinified in stainless steel tanks using selected yeasts. The wine was aged on the lees for 8 months in 60% French oak barrels and 40% stainless steel tanks. No malolactic fermentation or batonnage. The wine was fined and filtered prior to bottling. The 2024 was similarly vinified but was aged for a full year, 90% in steel tanks and 10% in oak barrel.
The 2024 Contrada Volpare was elegant. Sage, mint, citrus, and sweet white fruit on the nose. Rounded attack on the palate. Sage, minerality, and restrained sapidity. Smooth. A beautiful wine.
The 2022 showed herbs, minerality, and salinity on the nose. Brighter than the 2024. Unfocused initially. Sapidity, citrus, almond pit, and persistent minerality.
The two wines differed both in terms of vintage conditions and aging regime. Brandon didn’t too much care for the 2022 vintage and much less wood was used in the 2024. Purity of high quality fruit shone through in the 2024.
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