The nose balances fragrant tulips and white blossoms with savory notes of grass and stone, above undertones of bitter citrus and herbs. On the refreshing yet full palate, the citrus sweetens into lemonade iced tea, with the herbaceousness lingering through the finish. — Danielle Callegari

Aromas of sliced apples, savory herbs, green olives and white pepper. Some stony minerality, too. Medium-bodied, layered and round-textured with vivid acidity. It is tense and persisting with a mineral nature and attractive spicy, green-herb savory undertones. Lengthy and textural. Drink or hold.

The Benanti 2021 Etna Bianco Contrada Cavaliere shows a layer of citrus at first, then bitter almond and unripe peach. The bouquet is mostly neutral in character at this young stage with a subtle, slow-moving evolution in the glass. It shows a luminous golden color with greenish highlights. The finish is very clean, ending with a pronounced mineral character. The Contrada Cavaliere is found on the southwest side of the volcano in Santa Maria di Licodia at 950 meters in elevation. You should count on some pretty aromatic evolution with this bottle in the next years to come. - ML

Contrada Cavaliere on Etna's southwest slope is situated at around 950 metres above sea level. Benanti's unoaked white from here is lemony and floral, light and stony, with a fresh, peachy mid-palate and a bright finish. (Drink between 2023-2027)