Palmento Costanzo 'Mofete' Etna Bianco 2022

Press 4 Mix/White • March 2024 Direct Press Selection

With the establishment of the Etna DOC in the 1960's came an end to the historic practice of making wines in Palmento - a stone structure carved out of the mountain itself, where winemakers of yesteryear pressed their grapes into volcanic stone vats. Italian wine bureaucrats forbid this practice due to hygienic concerns — making wine in Mountain itself was too hard to keep clean. Recently, under the guidance of Etna's most renowned viticulturist and enologist, founder of I Vigneri, Salvo Foti, some estates have fought to reestablish these ancient structures and persevere this piece of Sicilian history. Palmento Costanzo has done just this.

Located in the Cru of Contrada Santo Spirito, Palmento Costanzo has been creating wine in their reclaimed winery since 2012. They tend to their bush-trained vines, some of which are over 120 years old, organically with focus on preserving biodiversity in their vineyards. The Mofete Bianco is 70% Carricante and 30% Catarratto, coming from younger vines (an average of 30 years old). Fermented and aged in stainless steel to preserve the fresh and joyful fruit, this is a lemon-lime electrolyte drink in wine form. Clean, zesty and focused. The bright citrus fruit is pleasantly supported by a touch of rosemary herbaceousness and smoky minerals. Kirk Sutherland