03 Jun The Beauty of Benanti – A Legacy Etched in Lava

If there was ever a moment on Etna that crystallized the soul of the volcano, it happened during my visit to Benanti. Tucked into the southeastern slope of Etna, this historic winery balances a rare combination of elegance, intellect, and deep reverence for place.

Salvino Benanti is one half of the twin brothers now at the helm of the family business. Their father, Giuseppe Benanti, founded the winery in the late 1980s, long before Etna was on the radar of the global wine scene. The Benanti family’s legacy was in pharmaceuticals, not agriculture, but Giuseppe had the passion and resources to pursue a dream: producing fine wine from native Sicilian grapes at a time when few saw the potential.

Salvino, who spent decades abroad studying and working in finance, returned to Sicily in his mid-30s to support the family business. What began as interpreting for his father at Vinitaly quickly became a full-circle commitment to carrying on, and evolving, the Benanti legacy. It was clear from our time with him that he sees his role not just as a winemaker, but as a steward of Etna itself.

“We want every visitor to become an ambassador for Etna,” he told us. “Our investment isn’t only in our brand; it’s in the territory.” It’s a mission they take seriously, managing five different vineyards across all four slopes of Etna: north, east, south and southwest. That 360-degree view, both literally and figuratively, gives Benanti one of the most comprehensive expressions of the region.

The Wines and Their Contrade

Our tasting was a masterclass in Etna’s complexity, beginning with the white wines:

• 2020 Contrada Cavalieri (SW Etna, 1000m): This 100% Carricante was electric. From one of Etna’s highest and most extreme sites, it sees 12 months on lees in stainless steel. The result is flinty, mineral-driven, with a nose of pineapple, stone, and alpine herbs.
• 2020 Contrada Rinazzo (Milo, SE Etna): Another Carricante from the only contrada allowed to label as Etna Bianco Superiore. Tighter and more saline than Cavalieri, this one whispered rather than shouted, with subtle pineapple and future promise of flint.
• 2020 Pietra Marina Etna Bianco Superiore: Also from Rinazzo, this flagship Carricante is aged for 2.5 years on lees. Citrus and petrol notes with minerality, this is a wine built to age, and a standard-bearer for what Etna whites can be.

The Nerello Mascalese reds were equally expressive of their origin:

• 2020 Monte Serra (South Etna): This Nerello Mascalese grows on one of Etna’s oldest craters, 440–470 meters above sea level, with proximity to the sea and volcanic sand. It offered darker fruit and supple structure, more generous than its northern siblings.
• 2020 Contrada Dafara Galluzzo (North Etna): A wine of vibrant red fruit, drying tannins, and mouthwatering acidity. Elegant, floral, with soft earthy undertones.
• 2020 Contrada Calderara Sottana (North Etna): This Nerello Mascasele is from a stony, flat vineyard. On the nose, the wine has floral notes with more power and oak influence. The tannins were firm but beautifully washed by trailing acidity.
• 2020 Contrada Cavalieri (Southwest Etna): Planted at 1000 meters, this wine hit the palate with high-toned acidity and smooth earth-toned tannins. A textbook example of high-altitude Etna red.

After tasting the exquisite white wines and expressive red wines, we tasted two aged wines:

• 2015 Monte Serra Riserva (South Etna): A field blend from bush vines planted in 1910 and aged five years before release. It was elegant and lifted.
• 2015 Contrada Rovitello Riserva (North Etna): Richer soils result in a more structured wine with dusted lavender, juicy fruit, and a finish that lingered.

Sparkling Soul

Benanti has been quietly making sparkling wines on Etna for over 20 years and Salvino’s philosophy to “make wines to drink, not to score” was evident across the lineup.

• Benanti Noblesse Metodo Classico Brut Carricante IGT – Delicate aromas of ripe apple and orange blossom, the medium-bodied wine is dry and elegant.
• Benanti Contrada Cavaliere 2023 – A very pretty wine with an elegant nose of fresh citrus, minerality, and salinity, structured texture, and lingering acidity washes over the palate.
• Benanti Contrada Rinazzo Superiore 2023 – Offering brighter, sharper citrus aromatics on nose and tarter notes on the palate.
• Benanti Contrada Monte Serra 2023 – Herbal and green sage notes lead to a wine with a light midpalate and lingering acidity.

Etna as a Whole

As we tasted the wines, Salvino painted a map of Etna’s terroir in our minds: the floral reds of the north, the mineral whites of Milo, the wind-cooled elegance of the south, and the volume and contrast of the southwest. Every aspect was considered – elevation, soil, climate. No detail is too small and no decision is made without data and history.

This analytical mindset, paired with deep-rooted passion, is what sets Benanti apart. They don’t just make wine from Etna, they make wine for Etna.

By the time we left, we weren’t just fans of Benanti, we were, as Salvino had hoped, newly minted ambassadors for the mountain itself.