Tornatore Etna White

Tasting Note Tornatore Etna Bianco

Pleasant hints of grapefruit, pomelo, apples, pears, white peach and herbs. On the palate and nose, a pleasant taste and freshness with an extraordinary minerality originating from the volcanic terroir. Light straw yellow with intense green reflections.

Wine & Food Pairing

Tornatore Etna Bianco pairs well with spicy Asian dishes, grilled vegetables, risotto, sushi, tapas, and salads with grilled white fish.

Additional Information

The Tornatore winery was established by Francesco Tornatore, who made his fortune in telecommunications. Only in the 21st century did he create a beautiful winery in Castiglione di Sicilia, located on the northern side of Mount Etna on volcanic soil.

However, Francesco's great-grandfather had already planted vineyards in 1865, so Tornatore can not only boast over 150 years of experience, but also possesses some old vineyards. Tornatore aims to work exclusively with indigenous grape varieties: Nerello Mascalese and Nerello Cappuccio for red, and Carricante for white, all harvested by hand.

Sicily is quite warm, but Tornatore's vineyards are situated at such high altitudes, between 600 and 1000 meters, that the wine achieves remarkable freshness and elegance. Nothing is left to chance in the cellar either, in the pursuit of making great wines.

Wine with respect for the terroir: the grapes are slowly pressed in a vertical press, and after fermentation in modern concrete vats, they mature for 3 months in large wooden barrels. As a result, there is virtually no detectable wood influence in the wines. All in all, this yields very precise, elegant, fresh, and highly drinkable wines, which are also very pleasantly priced for Etna standards.

Etna Bianco from Tornatore is a masterpiece in itself. The volcanic terroir of Etna in Sicily, the altitude at which the grapes are grown, manual harvesting, and low-temperature fermentation are all elements that contribute to a magnificent wine.

Awards/Accolades

This wine has received numerous accolades in recent years.

Robert Parker: The Etna Bianco is excellent in capturing the bright and elegant side of Etna's Carricante grape. The bouquet here shows citrus, lemon curd, and a hint of natural rubber that works wonders in terms of the wine's aromatic intensity. This is a very successful effort from a new producer and relatively young vines. Dried herbs, saffron, anise seed, and Sicilian wild fennel appear at the end (89+ pts).

Gambero Rosso: The Etna Bianco 2016 is excellent, bursting with fruit on the nose, lively and structured on the palate. (2 glasses)

James Suckling: Lots of pears and apples as well as pomelo. Full, dense palate with tangy acidity and a fruity finish. (90 pts)

Wine Enthusiast: With a few swirls of the glass, intoxicating stone fruit is released. A lively interplay of green apple, lemon, tangerine, and white peach aromas framed by fresh acidity. (93 pts)