Cavaliere

Cavaliere is a high contrada on Etna’s south-western slope, closely linked to Benanti — the pioneering Catania estate, founded in 1988, that did more than almost any other to establish the quality credentials of modern Etna wine, well before the international press discovered the volcano.

The Terroir Cavaliere lies at around 900 metres in the municipality of Santa Maria di Licodia, on sandy volcanic soils rich in stones and minerals. This side of the mountain is less rainy than the other slopes, with strong ventilation, abundant light and very wide swings between day and night temperatures. Those conditions keep the growing season long, preserving aromatic delicacy and firm natural acidity. Benanti farms both Nerello Mascalese, from vines around fifty years old trained in rows, and Carricante here, bottling a Contrada Cavaliere Etna Rosso and Etna Bianco.

The Critical Take The reds are unmistakably mountain Etna: pale ruby, with a lifted nose of wild cherry, dried rose, volcanic mineral, herbs and a subtle earthiness; on the palate, fine tannins, bright acidity and a long, saline, mineral finish that rewards eight to fifteen years in the cellar. The whites share the same altitude-driven tension. Cavaliere’s blend of height, light and sandy volcanic soil shows the south-western slope at its most elegant, and a clear counterpoint to the more famous contrade of the north.

At the Table Elegant and high-toned, Cavaliere Rosso flatters refined Sicilian cooking: grilled fish, pasta with pistachio or wild fennel, roast pork, mushroom risotto and medium-aged cheeses. Serve it cool, at 15 to 17 degrees, in a Burgundy glass to carry its rose-and-cherry perfume, with only a short decant for young bottles. The Carricante-based Bianco is a natural partner for raw seafood, shellfish and grilled swordfish. Approachable from six to eight years and holding fifteen, it is a wine of quiet authority rather than force. For the collector, Cavaliere offers a chance to taste a less-travelled side of the volcano, and Benanti’s long stewardship gives the site a deep track record. Set a bottle beside a young Etna Rosso from the north slope, and the difference in light, soil and exposure speaks for itself.

Benchmark Producers Benanti (Contrada Cavaliere Etna Rosso and Etna Bianco).