[kerr-ah-KAHN-tay]

The true taste of Mt. Etna! Grown on the volcanic slopes for likely centuries, Carricante is now only found in Sicily, and so far any other attempts to grow elsewhere have been less than successful. It is prone to sunburn and disease, has a tendency toward low yields and low sugars (= low alcohol) and high acidity. All factors helping point toward its specialized (and rare) status, as (clearly) the rest of the Sicilian wine industry has long been focused on the exact opposite attributes. Yet with the combination of top flight real estate (though admittedly at the whim of a live volcano) and lots of hard work in the vineyard,  few doubt the potential for world class greatness from the Carricante grape.

Benanti / Salvo Foti / Barone di Villagrande