Armagia Etna Bianco White Wine, Italy 2021

The slope of an active volcano is a wild, but magical, place to make wine...as you're about to discover. Armagia Bianco is a complex, rounded white wine showcasing the native Carricante grape, harvested from old vines planted on Mt. Etna, Sicily.

Mt. Etna is the highest and most active volcano in Europe. Winemaker Filippo Mangione says "Everything is so intense here—the nature, volcano, soils and climate." The slopes have rich, fertile soils shaped by centuries of volcanic ash and pumice deposits, but eruptions bring unpredictability and uncertainty. The rugged, steep terrain makes vineyard care laborious—yet the unique wines make it all worthwhile.

Filippo’s vines lie at 700 meters altitude, so the grapes ripen beautifully while retaining lifted aromas and freshness which allow his wines to age well. Late-ripening Carricante is the specialty white grape here, and Filippo's precious old vines lend concentrated citrus flavors, a delicate herb character and a vibrant, flinty edge. He named it "Armagia" after the traditional stone piles in his vineyards that once served as sun shelters for local sheep herders.

Armagia Bianco is elegant and beautifully poised. It makes a superb aperitif or seafood white and is fantastic with risotto. Order a few bottles today and discover the thrills of volcanic wine.