2018 Aeris Wines Etna Bianco Superiore

A enthralling mix of fennel, sage, raw almonds, crystalized ginger and crushed pears make the 2018 Etna Bianco Superiore impossible to ignore. This fills the palate with round, enveloping textures yet boasts a salty, savory core of minerality that shines like a beacon; notes of Granny Smith apple give way to hints of lanolin. But wait, there’s more...as a crunchy sensation is formed through the finale, a mix of structure and residual citrus-tinged acids, along with herbal underpinnings, linger on and on. Salvo Foti and the team at Rhys have done a fantastic job of creating a riveting wine in a difficult vintage. The Carricante for the Aeris bianco hails from eighty-year-old vines near the town of Milo on Mount Etna, which is now considered one of the most prized locations for the variety. Lose this wine in the cellar for at least another year to let it settle down a bit.