Azienda di Rachele (Contrada Salice, Milo, Catania, Sicily) Etna Bianco Superiores 2023 and 2021: ViniMilo 2025 white-grape-identity Masterclass

The L’identità bianchista dell’Etna (The identity of the whites of Etna) ViniMilo 2025 Masterclass explored non-sequential vintages of Etna Bianco Superiores from leading producers such as Barone di Villagrande, Maugeri, Benanti, Iuppa, Rachele, and Terre di Nuna. I have previously reported on a number of these tastings and continue herein with Azienda di Rachele.

Azienda di Rachele is, like Azienda Agricola Iuppa, located within Milo's Contrada Salice but its vineyards do not span as wide an elevation range. Rachele's vineyard ranges between 550 and 700 m. 

Grapes have been grown on a core property for many generations  but it was only with the 2021 vintage that the decision was made to vinify some of the product for their own wine. I first tasted a Rachele wine at ViniMilo 2024 and was impressed by the humility of Rosario Raciti (the proprietor) and the quality of the wine.

As Rosario tells it, the core of the Rachele vineyard is "a small plot of land passed down through generations." He expanded on that small plot and, in 2013, decided to host a Carricante-only vineyard.  Once that vineyard was fully implemented he needed new challenges and began, in 2021, to vinify a part of the harvest. The first wine was released on to the market in 2023.

The soil on the property is sandy volcanic and the Carricante grapes are trained in the traditional Etna manner. Only top quality grapes are selected for the wine and these are hand-harvested into 20-kg crates. The grapes are destemmed and pressed and then fermented in neutral containers. The wine is matured in stainless steel tanks and further aged in bottle.

Tasting the Wines

The wines offered up for this tasting were drawn from the 2023 and 2021 vintages. A bottle shot and Brandon's vintage notes follow.

Brandon Tokash's vintage notes are as follows:

2023 -- The year of the mold; especially for the north slope. Milo was burning, hot, and dry. There was one day where there were major fires all around Milo with some of Iuppa's vineyard burnt. There was concern for smoke taint but we didn't taste any. A better vintage for Nerello than Carricante. I think that some of the freshness and acid was lost, especially at lower Milo altitudes. Stay with the high-elevation Carricante (above 800 m).

2021 — Another dry spring and summer with typical Milo rains a few weeks before and during harvest. If I remember, the 2021’s that we tasted was the vintage that we thought was better than the others. If that’s the case, the vintage was excellent.

As has been the practice in this series of tastings, the youngest vintage was tasted first. The 2023 Rachele EBS showed sweet white fruit, sage, minerality, spice, mint, and a savoriness on the nose. Lime on the palate along with a restrained salinity and minerality. Textured. Long, limey finish. Some black pepper on the finish.

The 2021 Rachele EBS showed herbs, a hint of sweet fruit, salinity, and minerality on the nose. Less intense on the nose than was the 2023. Green orange on the attack giving way to a savoriness. Mineral. Sapid. Dried herbs and faded lime.

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Both wines exhibited good quality. The 2021 was the first vintage for this estate and it has retained its integrity. The lowered intensity on the nose eon the '21 is probably related to age-related development and softening. I enjoyed both of these wines.

©Wine -- Mise en abyme

Azienda Agricola Iuppa (Contrada Salice, Milo, Catania, Sicily) and its contributions to the ViniMilo 2025 white-grape-identity-of-Etna Masterclass

Azienda Agricola Iuppa's Lindo Etna Bianco Superiore Contrada Salice was the third offering in the lineup of wines tasted in the ViniMilo 2025 White-Grape-Identity-of-Etna Masterclass. The wines on offer were from the 2023 and 2020 vintages. It should be noted that the former is designated Contrada Salice on the label while the latter is not.

I have not previously written about this estate so some background is necessary prior to launching into the comparative tasting.

I couldn't help but smile this morning as I listened to a podcast wherein Marco, the eldest son of Angelo, the estate's owner, was being interviewed by Marc Millon of Wine Food and Travel and told the story of how he found out that they owned a vineyard. 

Marco Iuppa at the right

Angelo, according to Marco, was in the construction business but sometime in the early 2000s he came to the family and told them that they now owned a vineyard. Marco did not know whether to laugh or cry. The next day he went with his father to examine their vineyard and they could hardly open the gate. It was a forest, he said. One piece of land had visible vines but the remainder was comprised of broken down terraces and vines overrun by large trees. 

That was then. This is now.

The obscured vineyards that Marco saw on his first visit to the property have been transformed into terraced vineyards with traditional dry lava stone walls. The Iuppa team has built one of the most esthetically pleasing vineyards on the mountain while retaining that original, visible old-vine plot.

The Iuppa property extends over 9 ha in Milo's Contrada Salice at elevations ranging between 530 and 700 m. The soil in this Contrada is sandy volcanic at 700 m and above and medium textured at elevations below that point. Of the 9 ha, 7 ha have been planted to Carricante, Catarratto, Nerello Mascalese, and Nerello Cappucchio, with a portion hosting a "centuries-old, free-range vineyard" populated with various obscure grape varieties. Ugo Nicosia, the estate’s Marketing Manager (one of the most gifted wine communicators on the mountain and a fierce advocate for Milo wines and the role that the volcanic soils play in the formulation of same), explains the vineyard layout (here) and the old-vine vineyard (here) during a walk-through with the author and Brandon Tokash.

Left to right, Brandon Tokash,
 Ugo Nicosia (Iuppa Marketing Manager),
and Angelo Iuppa (Proprietor)

The estate's stated philosophy is to "diligently work every day to produce authentic, territorial, high-quality wines" that take account of both "Etna's winemaking traditions" and "the most modern oenological techniques."

The vineyard is farmed organically and soil health maintenance and improvement are at the core of vineyard practices. For example, the vineyard is hand-tilled, thus eliminating the risk of machinery-driven soil compaction. Green material is harvested from the plants and integrated into the soil to enrich it with nitrogen. And, of course, chemical use in the vineyard is avoided.

The range of Iuppa wines is pictured below along with characteristics of the growing areas and fermentation and aging regimes. All grapes destined for these wines are subjected to selection both in the field and in the cellar.

During our September (2025) visit to the estate, Ugo led us on a tasting of the estate's 2024 wines. The tasting covered the whites, reds, and old vines wines.

Tasting the Lindo wines at the VinoMilo2025 White Wine Identity of Etna Masterclass

As mentioned previously, the Lindo offerings for the Masterclass were the 2023 and 2020 vintages, in that order.

Brandon Tokash's vintage notes are as follows:

2023 -- The year of the mold; especially for the north slope. Milo was burning, hot, and dry. There was one day where there were major fires all around Milo with some of Iuppa's vineyard burnt. There was concern for smoke taint but we didn't taste any. A better vintage for Nerello than Carricante. I think that some of the freshness and acid was lost, especially at lower Milo altitudes. Stay with the high-elevation Carricante (above 800 m).

2020 -- Warmer than normal spring followed by a hot, dry summer. Overall, the vintage was a good quality one; perhaps better than average.

The 2023 Lindo Contrada Salice exhibited a classic Etna Bianco Superiore nose: sage, minerality, mint, herbs, and citrus. A lean entry on the palate with lime, lime skin, and a metallic mineralogy giving texture to the wine. Alive on the palate. Persistent, with hints of bitterness and herbs. Mineral finish.

The Lindo 2020 had an initial whiff of sulfur and burnt rubber which persisted on the nose. Lime skin and white fruit on the palate. Slate-like minerality. Bianco Superiore characteristics somewhat suppressed.

There were major differences between the two wines which had, in my opinion, nothing to do with age or vintage characteristics. The 2020 appeared to have either winemaking issues or issues with the specific bottle that was poured into my glass. The 2020 was disappointing, especially after the high tone set by the 2023. I expected to derive even more pleasure from the older vintage. I did not.

©Wine -- Mise en abyme

Benanti Contrada Rinazzo Etna Bianco Superiores 2022 and 2020: ViniMilo 2025 white-grape-identity Masterclass

A couple of Benanti wines (Contrada Rinazzo Etna Bianco Superiores 2022 and 2020) were tasted at the ViniMilo 2025 White Grape Identity of Etna Masterclass.

Benanti was the pioneer of quality winemaking on Mt. Etna and its Pietra Marina, made initially by Salvo Foti, was long one of the finest wines made from the Carricante grape. After taking over management of the estate from their father, Antonio and Salvino have changed the style of their Etna Bianco Superiore as well as reconfigured the lineup. Pietra Marina is still the flagship white but its aging regime has been extended (on lees in stainless steel vats or 30 months plus 1 year in bottle). Two Contrada Biancos have been added to the lineup (Contrada Rinazzo Etna Bianco Superiore and Contrada Cavalieri Etna Bianco) with the Bianco Superiore fermented and aged in stainless steel vats on lees for 12 months and in bottle for an additional 6 months.

Grapes for the Bianco Superiores are sourced from the same Milo vineyard, with the Pietra Marina wine being made from the highest-elevation vines. The physical environment of the Contrada Rinazzo vineyard is as follows:

The Milo growing season notes from Brandon Tokash are as follows:

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.

2020 -- Warner than normal spring followed by a hot, dry summer. Overall, the vintage was a good quality one; perhaps better than average.

The 2022 Contrada Rinazzo EBS showed sage, salinity, mint and spice on the nose. Soft on the palate with lime sapidity and a metallic minerality. The 2020 showed an herbiness and sweet fruit on the nose. Lime and salinity on the palate. Character-free.

Based on Brandon's notes, these two vintages were  sub-optimal for Milo Carricante.

©Wine -- Mise en abyme

The "best" Etna Bianco Superiores

The chart below shows an updated Etna bianco superiore database. 

I have begun a process of seeking to identify the best of the bunch by asking persons with the relevant expertise to give me a list of their top four Etna Bianco Superiores and the reasons why they are so ranked. Below I provide the information collected to date. This is, of course, an ongoing process.

Eredi di Maio's Affiu received three mentions while Vigna di Milo, Nuna, i Custodi's Imbris, and Barone di Villagrande's Contrada Villagrande received two mentions. Maugeri's Contrada Volpare, Foti's Palmento Caselle, Iuppa's Lindo, Gaetano Russo's Contrada Praino, Benanti's Pietra Marina, and Federico Curtaz's Etna Bianco Superiore all received one mention.

Eredi di Maio was described as "a young winery with an old soul. The vineyards are very dated, partly a hundred years old, and give birth to wines of an absolute depth, of impeccable typicality and great quality. Bright colors that turn from straw to pale golden, nose of fresh, ripe white-fleshed fruit, orange blossom, honey, and hints of citrus. Sour, feschissimo sip, with supportive but never excessive alcohol content, very pleasant salinity. Very good even hours after opening the bottle. Excellent."

For those favoring Barone di Villagrande's Superiore, they saw the issue thusly:

Barone di Villagrande, year after year, presents an unmistakable style of a version of Carricante from mature plants, with excellent agronomic care and an excellent winemaking style. Broad in its typical aromas of orange blossom, citrine notes,  and field herbs supported by an excellent balance between glycerine and vibrant acidity. Balanced taste and remarkable aging capacity. A signature wine.

A second supporter placed this wine alongside Terre di Nuna and Contrada Praino. "I think these superiores represent well the East side of Mount Etna. The wines are fresh, elegant, and mineral with big structure in the mouth and long life inside the bottle. I love to pair these wines with food because they clean the palate and enhance every taste."

Benanti's Pietra Marina was mentioned as a milestone among Etna's superiores. "Deep aromas on the nose of warm, comforting notes of herbs, hints of honey, citrine notes and hints of hydrocarbon with time. Enveloping, powerful and vertical taste, surprising in its evolution year after year. A must in the cellars of a true enthusiast."                             

Iuppa's Lindo "is the fruit of a careful selection of clusters that come from the largest, southern/northern district of Milo... a wine of blinding straw color with a well-defined territorial imprint. Crisp, yellow-fleshed fruit, herbaceous nose, iodine, lemon orange blossom and an unmistakable smokiness given by the soil coming from volcanic lapilli continuously erupted from the southeast crater of the volcano. Powerful and suave at the same time. Suitable for aging. Persistent and very pleasant. 

Foti's Vigna di Milo has bright acid but there is still a textured palate, a rounded edge but not due to any oak aging.

A Palmento Caselle disciple: "I remember Palmento Caselle being tightly wound and precise. Showing more acid than fruit but that will balance out over time and an understated salinity to wrap around the whole package. This is a bottle that will just continue to grow over the next 10 years. A terrific example of an Etna Bianco Superiore."

I had the distinct pleasure of tasting the vast majority of Superiore wines at the VinoMilo 2024 event titled Milo, il Carricante e l’Etna Bianco Superiore: contrade, produttori, biodiversità, sostenabilità — Quarta edizione and wondered if the organizers tipped their hands as to which they though were the best wines of the lot. A few points of note:

• Some of the top producers (Foti, for example) were not represented and producers with multiple Superiores did not submit their top wine(s).
• As I pointed out in an earlier post, Milo can be divided into three grape-growing zones (based on altitude): 500 - 650 m; 700 m; and 800 - 900 m. The fact seems to have been taken into consideration in allocating the Superiores between the four flights of the tasting: (i) With the exception of Primazappa, and Contrada Villagrande, the first two flights consist of wines drawn from the lowest and middle elevations. (ii) With the exception of Benanti’s Contrada Rinazzo and Contrada Villagrande, all of the Superiore wines in Flights 3 and 4 are drawn from the highest-elevation vineyards.
• As it relates to the contrada, all of the Superiore wines in Flight 4 were sourced from grapes grown in Contrada Caselle.

It has been my experience that tastings ramp up to a crescendo, with the most "desirable" wines coming later in the evening. If one follows this logic, the organizers seem to be pointing to the higher elevation wines as the most desirable and with a partucular focus on Contrada Caselle. No conclusions here. Just saying.

©Wine -- Mise en abyme

Milo (Catania, Sicily): Contrade, vineyards, and Superiore wines

Marco de Grazia (delleterrenere.com) makes on of the most cogent arguments for the current Mt Etna grape-growing architecture and Milo's place within that space.

For centuries and centuries the northern slopes of Etna have been recognized for the best red grapes in the area ... "That is why I established Tenuta delle Terre Nere here. Nevertheless, some specific areas of the eastern and southern areas of Etna attracted me greatly, whose ancient and recent history testified to excellent viticultural qualities. In short, I became particularly interested in in the viticulture of the smallest municipality of the eastern area, that of Milo. From the 18th century until a dozen years ago, only one company existed in Milo, and it was famous for its whites. And when the statutes of the DOC Etna were drawn up in 1968, only the whites of Etna were allowed to boast the epithet Superiore. In fact, as I see it, the microclimate of Milo makes the production of red wines unlikely, while that of rosés is interesting, and that of whites potentially admirable even if it requires special attention."

The average rainfall in Milo is double that of the northern and southern areas. Its exposures are mostly east-facing, often made difficult and shady by vast ravines. The steepness of the terraces of the entire municipality sees the sun forced to set very early in the shadow of the volcano. Furthermore, the climate is very humid, open as it is to the hot sirocco that, having crossed the Ionian Sean, blows directly onm the vineyards. So much so that it is not uncommon to find yourself wrapped in fog even on summer evenings. No, it is not a climate for red wines. But an extremely interesting one, even if challenging, for whites, which seem to appreciate its particularly fresh, humid and breezy nature.

Marco goes on to describe what he saw as the optimum vineyard location in Milo:

I was looking for the perfect altitude: not too high, to avoid a truly extreme climate; not too low, where excessive heat would negate the austere and sharp character of Milo wines that I had learned to admire. It also had to be well exposed to ensure consistent quality in such a difficult climate.

I have previously described the Milo physical environment at the broader level as well as at the level of the defined contrade. Herein I describe the contrada-level built environment and, specifically, the Superiore wines produced therefrom.

The chart below illustrates how Milo grapegrowers have sought to utilize the physical environment in the deployment of their grapevines. The chart shows a marked preference for planting within Contrada Caselle with 7 producers having put down roots there. Salice and Volpare follow with four producers each, Rinazzo and Praino, with three each, and Fornazzo and Villagrande with one each. I could find no producers in Pianogrande.

There are a number of Multi-contrada producers within the comune: Maugeri (Volpare and Praino), Tenuta di Fessina (Caselle and Volpare) and Eredi di Maio (Caselle, Praino, Rinazzo, and Volpare). There are also a number of producers with interests outside the comune: Tenuta di Fessina, Benanti, Pietradolce, iCustodi, iVigneri, Terra Costantino, and Delle Terre Nere. For many of these producers, Milo is part of a multi-pronged strategy of wine production on Etna.

The average vineyard size in Milo is as follows:

• Caselle -- 1 ha
• Fornazzo -- 1 ha
• Praino -- 1.13 ha
• Rinazzo -- 2 ha (should be noted that the total ha is about 10 of which Benanti owns 7)
• Salice -- 7
• Volpare -- 3.1.

Not all of the producers identified in the above chart are currently producing Superiore wines. The Superiore requirements called for the grapes to be grown within the bounds of the comune and for a minimum of 80% Carricante. As shown in the chart below, only three (Aurora, Contrada Villagrande, and Milus) of the identified Superiore wines are not made in purity.

In terms of elevation, 11 of the wines are produced from grapes grown in the 800 - 900 m zone (as identified in my physical environment post) while five are made from grapes grown in the 700 - 800 m zone and the remaining five in the 500 - 650 m zone. 

Eredi di Maio is a multi-contrade wine but most of its vineyards are in Contrada Caselle.

I tasted most of these wines at a VinoMilo2024 event titled Milo, il carricante e l'Etna Bianco Superiore. I will report on that tasting in a follow-up post.

©Wine -- Mise en abyme

Maugeri: Reclamation of a Mt Etna patrimony

In February of this year, in a Wine Spectator article titled "What is Etna's Next Wine Wave?", Robert Camuto identified Carla Maugeri as one of the producers to watch.

Carla Maugeri

According to Robert, Carla has teamed up with Tuscan-born winemaker Emiliano Falsini in order to realize a dream first pursued by her father (Renato) and his siblings 50 years ago.

Maugeri enologist Emiliano Falsini with 
author

The author with Renato Maugeri and
Brandon Tokash

Maugeri is the effort by Carla and her sisters (Michela and Paolo) to restore their -- as they see it -- patrimony.

Brandon and I paid a visit to the estate and were guided through the lands and the wines by Gea Cali, the winery's Export Manager.

Gea welcomed us on to the property and first took us on a tour of an "eno-lodge" construction site. During the tour we encountered the remnants of the family's unsuccessful attempt at the winemaking business 50 or so years ago. A cellar full of bottles from the 1973 vintage bear testament to the futility of that effort.

Historical evidence of "ancient"
Maugeri winemaking efforts

More historical evidence of past Maugeri
winemaking efforts 

We ventured into the vineyards after leaving the construction site. According to Gea, the Maugeri holdings are comprised of 83 terraces on 7 ha stretched between Contrade Volpare and Praino at 700 m elevation on Mt etna's eastern slope. The property -- 6 ha in Volpare, 1 ha in Praino -- is enclosed within an unbroken line of 28 km of lava dry stone. The amphitheater-shaped construct is constantly washed by sea breezes which contribute significantly to the health of the grapes.

The soils in the two contrade are similar -- sandy volcanic with high organic content and rich in minerals -- but Gea contends that the soil in Praino is more "tufa-like."

The Carricante grape is the heart and soul of the estate being, as it is, the basis of all wines with the exception of the Bianco Catarratto and the Etna Rosato (Nerello Mascalese). Vines are alberello-trained and are planted at 6000/ha.

Gea Cali and Brandon Tokash

The Maugeri Carricante vines attain their highest quality levels in the Frontebosco and Frontemare vineyards in Contrada Volpare and Contrada Praino, respectively. Frontebosco is south-facing and, as such, has the highest number of hours of sunlight of any area of the property. Frontemaro faces the sea, while Frontebosco faces the forest. Both are moderated by their respective environments.

Frontebosco (Screenshot from maugeri.it)

Frontemare (Screenshot from maugeri.it)

In addition to Carricante, Catarratto (0.5 ha) and Nerello Mascalese are planted in Contrada Volpare. The Catarratto is planted on north-facing slopes while the Nerello Mascalese is planted in rockier areas.

The distribution of Maugeri wines by contrade and grape variety is shown below.

We repaired to the tasting room to taste these wines and to sample some of the Maugeri fare.

The first wine tasted was the 2023 Etna Bianco Superiore. That growing season was hot but with some rain in July. The vines were green-harvested in September (Historically, the fruits of the green harvest had been left on the ground but they are now being vinified.). The grapes 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. In the future this wine will be aged for a full year, 90% in steel tanks and 10% in oak barrel.

Sweet white fruit on the nose, along with a savory character, herbs, and salinity. Broad-based acidity on the palate which, over time, morphs into a fine-boned citrus. Persistence.

The Etna Bianco Superiore Frontebosco 2023 was treated differently in the cellar due to the added hours of sunlight that this south-facing vineyard received during the course of the growing season. Cryomaceration was extended to 8 hours. Vinification in stainless steel tanks followed by lees-aging in 60% Frenck oak barrels (old and new) and 40% steel tanks. No malolactic or batonnage.

Salinity, sweet white fruit, and green and dried herbs on the nose. Fuller bodied. Slowly enveloping salinity on the palate along with lime and a juiciness.

The grapes for the Etna Bianco Superiore Frontemare 2023 were cryomacerated for 3 hours prior to fermentation, 30% in stainless steel, 70% in French oak tonneaux.

Sage herbs, sweet white fruit, herbs, and mint. Rustic on the palate with some heat.

The Etna Bianco Catarratto 2023 (IGT Terre Siciliane) was fermented in stainless steel tanks and aged on its lees for 4 months with an additional 2 months in bottle. The wine is Catarratto in purity.

Full round mouthfeel. Palate-engaging. Persistent.

The 2023 Contrada Volpare Etna Rosato represents a firming up of the fermentation process for this wine. In 2021 this wine was fermented in oak while in 2022 it was fermented 50% in tonneaux and 50% in stainless steel. In 2023, after a few hours of cryomaceration the wine was fermented as it was in 2022. The wine spent 4 hours on its lees.

Red cherries, spice, blackpepper, and a long, sour finish. We also tasted the 2022 edition of this wine and it had similar characteristics except for a little more salinity.

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Maugeri is a relatively young estate -- the vines are 6 to 7 years old -- but they are, in their focus, exhibiting a maturity beyond their wine years. As newbies , they could attempt to force things and try to be everything to everybody. But no. They are making white wines on Milo. Fullstop. And that focus will stand them in good stead; especially in these formative years. Get really good at one thing before expanding into new areas.

In addition, because the vines are so relatively young, the wines will get better naturally (And they are pretty darn good at this time). According to Salvo Foti, Carricante vines need as much as 15 years to begin producing the highest quality wines. So Maugeri's future is ahead of it.

Excellent wines from an excellent team. 

©Wine -- Mise en abyme