Monteleone 2023 Etna Bianco Anthemis 750mL

If you like your whites bold, this is the Etna Bianco for you. While it maintains the briny minerality of the estate bianco, it is balanced by creamy flavours from 12 months on fine lees, with weekly battonage (stirring the lees). It ages in French oak tonneaux during that time, which delivers toasty baking spice notes.

The 2022 was a salty, saffron, patisserie delight whereas the 2023 is the closest thing we've ever tasted to lemon curd in a wine glass. Yum yum. More golden in colour than the '22, with very nice acidity and well integrated oak.

Best with food - something creamy like a soft cheese or white sauce pasta would be perfect. Could be aged for a long time if you'd like to explore the tertiary character of Carricante (we will attempt to keep some and report back over the years).

The grapes are 100% Carricante from the Sant'Alfio contrada (the name used around Etna for single, named vineyards) which sits at 900m altitude.