Etna Bianco, Vigne Niche, Contrada Montalto, 2021

Name: Etna Bianco, Vigne Niche, Contrada Montalto
Brand: Tenuta delle Terre Nere
Price: 201.94 GBP

Available Vintages

all 2021

justerini & brooks tasting note

Montalto is one of the newer crus in the Terre Nere range (on the southern Etna slopes) and is finding its feet as an important source of Carricante grapes. The highest vineyard in the range at 900m, this more than offsets its full southern exposure to make a really complete and engaging white full of bright, zesty fruits with touches of bitter herbs, ginger and spice, freshly cut stone fruit and salted nuts on the finish – there is a little phenolic grip on the finish too – there is a lot going on here. 60-90 year old vines, loose volcanic ash with a notably pebbly topsoil. 100% Carricante, fermented and aged in steel for 9 months.

critic reviews

94/100Eric Guido,Vinous

Dried flowers and smoky crushed stone give way to musky dried apricots as the youthfully coy 2021 Etna Bianco Le Vigne Niche Montalto grumbles up from the glass. Soft and enveloping, this is a textural thrill-ride, seemingly oily at times yet full of zesty tension, blending lemon oils and grapefruit with green apple and salty mineral tones. The 2021 finishes with outstanding length and mineral staining that lingers long as pretty inner florals and hints of tropical citrus slowly fade. The Montalto is sourced from vines on the southern slopes of Etna, between 900 to 975 meters in elevation, a location that the top producers often ignored until recently. That said, the 2021 from Terre Nere proves the worth of these vines.

DRINKING WINDOW 2023 - 2026

date of review 09/2023

93/100Monica Larner,Robert Parker Wine Advocate

The Tenuta delle Terre Nere 2021 Etna Bianco Montalto (with 3,500 bottles made) sees fruit that grows 950 meters in elevation on the sea-facing, and hence, warmest side of the volcanic cone. In fact, you notice the plush and round nature of the fruit with white currant, quince and pear. To the palate, it shows good dimension and depth. This 1.5-hectare vineyard in Milo with volcanic pumice stone and ashy sand is the only property that this estate farms in Milo.

DRINKING WINDOW 2022 - 2030

date of review 06/2023