I Custodi Aedes Etna Bianco

Carricante

Etna, Sicily

Mount Etna is a current darling of the Italian wine scene, and I Custodi is among the 21st-century Etna Renaissance producers who are now making wines as compelling as the active volcano’s cooled lava flows. Founder Mario Paoluzi has teamed up with Etna guru Salvo Foti and I Vigneri, the local vineyard workers who tend the ancient albarello vines, and volcanic terracing. I Custodi has their winery and the majority of their 12 hectares on the northern slope, in the contrade of Moganazzi (Aetneus bottling of oldest vines and others for Pistus), and Feudo di Mezzo (Saeculari bottling of their oldest vines of 150 years old and more). The northern slope is known to be one of the driest, coldest, and with the most concentration of the more elegant Nerello grape variety, Nerello Mascalese. Northern slope reds have long tannins, providing great vertical structure to the wines, not unlike the best Nebbiolo wines.