2018 VINTAGE - MEMBER REVIEWS
"Colour: Luminous topaz yellow.
Aroma: Open, long and concentrated, honey, something nutty, buttered toast and ripe banana with lemon, grapefruit, mint, peach and a stony minerality.
Taste: Med+ body, refreshing acidity, polished mouth-filling citrus, honey and spice flavours with a good nose tingling finish.
Overall: This is really good, only 2 years old but smells and tastes mature, from the lees ageing I guess. Ripe and rich but the acidity brings it to life. A lot of complexity for the price, hard to put down, highly recommend."
Mr Gabriel Higgins (16-Oct-2020)
"My second order of this wine and I’ve got to say it wasn’t as nice as the first batch. Quite thin and almost non descript in taste (hopefully not a coronavirus symptom!). I have to agree with fellow member John Kearney.
My first order was much more impressive with good depth and pleasant finish. The second order wasn’t helped by the first bottle I opened having cork taint "
Mr Darryl Corney (20-May-2020)
"Really disappointed in this. I found it insipid, very little bouquet, very little taste in the mouth and very little aftertaste.
It was the opposite of the the Wine List narrative. Not really worth drinking.
"
Mr John Kearney (13-May-2020)
"I thought this delicious. A citrus pulp and pear nose leading to a lively palate with some nuttiness, a hint of richness in texture with a pleasing bitter almond finish. Plenty of acidity making it good with food. It went well with an artichoke and pea pasta. Real character from the two native grapes."
Mr Stephen Chesterfield (06-Mar-2020)
"I picked this wine for lunch with friends at a very nice restaurant this week, (having drunk Sicilian whites previously and having seen it featured here at the WS). Everyone was very complimentary about it and I thought it was excellent. I shall definitely order some now!"
Mr Roger Wilson (04-Mar-2020)
"Greatly drinkable, but the mineral overtones do not really compensate for the thinness of the taste on the palate. Very quaffable - too expensive for its impact and enjoyment."
Mr Giles M H Mills (02-Sep-2019)
"Very classy white. Touch of citrus and mineral finish. "
Mr Russell Sainty (15-Jul-2019)
"This is really very good.
It's got some steel, and lemony edge, but combines that with a lovely, round mouth feel that caresses the back of your throat as the wine slips down.
More-ish but with a hint of sophistication.
"
Rev Robert Stanier (01-Jul-2019)
2018 VINTAGE - PRESS REVIEWS
Hampstead & Highgate Express (5th Dec 2019)
"A fragrant, delicate,
delicious organic white from the lava-strewn slopes of Mount Etna … blending
native Sicilian grapes carricante and catarratto. - Liz Sagues"
JancisRobinson.com (9th Aug 2019)
"Melon, apple, a touch
of dairy flavour and snappy acidity to give refreshment on the finish. Some
bitter leafy complexity on the length. 15.5/20 - Richard Hemming MW"
2017 VINTAGE - MEMBER REVIEWS
"Fresh aromas of straw and citrus were light enough to deceive with the idea of a much simpler flavour than what was actually on offer. Plenty more citrus coming through in the mouth, with wax, cooked pineapple, some apples, all topped off with a clean, mineral-driven finish. Delicious."
Mr Addam Merali-Hosiene (18-Mar-2019)
2017 VINTAGE - PRESS REVIEWS
i (19th Aug 2018)
"... peachy,
full-bodied ... made mainly from the local carricante and cattaratto grapes and
ideal with any robust fish dishes or the local favourite, pasta with sardines. - Terry Kirby"
joannasimon.com (16th Aug 2018)
"This mouthwatering,
mineral dry white combines two of my enthusiasms: wines from volcanic soils and
island wines. They come together on the slopes of Etna as they do on the Greek
island of Santorini, but Etna has its own grape varieties, red as well as white.
The whites are steered by the high-quality, late-ripening Carricante, filled
out here with Sicily’s most widely planted white, Catarratto, both planted at
700–750m. Aside from the mineral character (I know, an overused and imprecise
term, but hard to avoid when soils are volcanic and mineral-rich) there’s pithy
grapefruit and orange zest lightly etched with honey, a streak of
dill-cum-celery and a fresh, salty, sea-breeze finish. It’s a sure-fire partner
for spaghetti alla vongole and other seafood, including octopus (another of my
enthusiasms), and salads with ingredients such as Pecorino, Feta, anchovy and
olives. - Joanna Simon"
The Observer (26th Aug 2018)
"
… beautifully perfumed but is lifted out of the
ordinary by the scintillating, riesling-like nervy acidity it gets from the
local carricante grape … outstanding value. - David Williams
"
2016 VINTAGE - MEMBER REVIEWS
"I loved this wine. Orchard fruits on the nose, continuing slightly onto the palate, which is clean and fresh with pleasing minerality and a good finish."
Mr Bob White (07-Jan-2018)
2015 VINTAGE - MEMBER REVIEWS
"Good aroma, refreshing clear taste, quite dry. Good to find a wine so robust and characterful. Not one for aperetivo, but would go well with a robust seafood dish."
Dr David Rickeard (18-Feb-2017)
2015 VINTAGE - PRESS REVIEWS
The Times (11th Mar 2017)
"The Nicosia family’s
Fondo Filara volcanic white is a cracker — all smoky, minerally, stone fruit
finesse, plus a fine, zingy finish. - Jane MacQuitty"
2013 VINTAGE - MEMBER REVIEWS
"This wine has a fresh, intense citrus nose, with grapefruit and lemon notes; even some hints of fennel. On the palate it is taught and sinuous, with a crisp acidity and a dry, slightly herbal finish. Recommended."
Mr Christopher Munday (05-Aug-2015)
2012 VINTAGE - PRESS REVIEWS
Decanter (7th Jan 2015)
"Etna has few bargains, but this might just be one of
them - fruit-driven, with carricante's signature salty finish, and a nutty
dryness. A good introduction to Etna Blanco wines. - Simon Woolf"