So, what's a volcano TASTE like?
The grape-growing regions of Tenerife, Mount Etna, and Santorini are all unique in terms of their terroir, climate, and viticulture, yet the wines still share some common traits due to their volcanic environments. We’ve put together a selection of bottles to help you explore these intriguing and under-the-radar regions. (Please note quantities are limited, as these are all relatively small producers.)
What to know:
1. Volcanic Influence:
- All three regions share a volcanic origin, but the soils differ in composition and how they affect the wines. Tenerife and Mount Etna have mineral-rich soils due to the presence of ash, lava, and basalt, whereas Santorini’s soils are lighter and made up of pumice and ash, which retain little water, resulting in a more stressed vine and concentrated wine.
2. Climate:
- Tenerife has a subtropical climate with high variability in temperatures due to altitude differences. The oceanic influence moderates the climate.
- Mount Etna has a Mediterranean climate with cool nights due to the high altitude, which contributes to fresh acidity and aromatic complexity in the wines.
- Santorini experiences a hot, dry climate, with strong winds that shape its unique vineyard practices. Its proximity to the sea and volcanic soils give the wines a pronounced minerality.
Grape Varieties:
- Tenerife features a range of indigenous varieties, with Listán Blanco and Listán Negro being the most prominent. The wines are aromatic, fresh, and mineral-driven, often with a distinctive herbal note.
- Mount Etna is known for Nerello Mascalese (red) and Carricante (white), which thrive on the volcanic slopes, producing wines with a balance of freshness, acidity, and minerality, with a smoky or earthy character.
- Santorini is virtually synonymous with Assyrtiko, a white variety that thrives on the island’s volcanic soils, producing wines with bright acidity and minerality, and a hallmark briny finish that reflects the island's unique terroir.
2020 Argyros - Assyrtiko Santorini Cuvee Evdemon
The name Evdemon is derived from "good spirit" or "good demon." With fruit from the winery's highest-elevation fruit, at 250 meters above sea level, the Estate Argyros 2020 Santorini Assyrtiko Cuvee Evdemon comes from a windswept site with 160-, 180- and ...
2022 Argyros - Assyrtiko Athiri Aidani Santorini Atlantis White
Vine age: 10-60 years old, ungrafted.
An introduction to the universe of Argyros whites. A blend of mainly Assyrtiko, with smaller proportions of Athiri and Aidani, sourced from relatively young vines, sixty year old or younger, and fermented in stainless steel at cool temperatures. Atlantis White is a fresh, charming wine, made to be enjoyed young and not intended for ageing.
2023 Benanti - Etna Bianco DOC (750ml)
Appellation.
Etna D.O.C. Bianco
On the mountain.
Grapes selected from vineyards located on the Eastern and Southern slopes of Mount Etna, which are particularly suited in terms of high elevation and abundant luminosity.
In the vineyard.
Carricante 100%, Etna’s noble autochthonous white grape variety. The berry is medium-sized with very pruinose skin that is greenish-yellow in color. The bunches are of average length and scattered. The vines are grown on sandy, volcanic soils that are rich in minerals, with sub-acid reaction. Plants range in age from 20 to 60 years and are trained in both “alberello” (head-trained bush) and spurred cordon systems, with densities of 6,000 to 7,000 vinestocks per hectare and yields of 7,000 to 8,000 kg/ha. Vineyards vary in elevation from 700 m (c. 2,300 ft) to 950 m (c. 3,100 ft) a.s.l. The climate type ranges from high hill to mountain, with a humid and rainy cooler season, high ventilation and a significant diurnal range.
In the cellar.
The grapes are harvested by hand around mid-October, de-stemmed and soft-pressed. Fermentation lasts 12 days and takes place in stainless steel vats at a controlled temperature of 18°C, with the aid of Benanti’s own indigenous yeast, which was selected from local vineyards through years of research and experimentation in the celllar. The wine then matures in stainless steel on the fine lees for a while and then refines in the bottle for 2-3 months.
In the glass.
The wine has a pale yellow color, with bright greenish tints. The nose is intense and delicate with hints of apple. The palate is dry and mineral with pleasant acidity and salinity, persistent and harmonious.
Serving temperature: 10 – 12° C
At the table.
This wine pairs well with fish and seafood.
2022 Envinate - Listan Prieto Tenerife Benje
The red 2022 Benje is floral, expressive, clean and elegant, reflecting a very good year in the region, with notes of rose petals and talcum powder, a fine texture and very elegant tannins. This has to be the most elegant Benje to date.
2023 Envinate - Benje BLANCO 2023 (750ml)
The white 2023 Benje Blanco, fermented without temperature control since 2021, matured in a 2,500-liter oak foudre and neutral 350-liter barrel, while 65% of the wine was kept in concrete. They also selected finer lees for the élevage, and the wine seems ...
2022 Envinate - Valle de la Orotava Migan Tinto (750ml)
I tasted the bottled 2022 Migan, which was paler than the sample of 2023 I tasted next to it and also felt more reductive. Sixty-three percent of the wine was with lees in used 500- and 600-liter oak barrels, and the rest (from the Tío Luis plot) was kept...
2023 Gai'a - Assyrtiko Santorini Thalassitis (750ml)
From the estate's beautiful property on the volcanic island of Santorini, the unoaked Gai'a 2023 Santorini Assyrtiko Thalassitis shows crisp aromas of star fruit, quince, caper leaf and crushed stone. Proprietor Yiannis Paraskevopoulos says that the 2023 ...
2022 Girolamo Russo - Etna Rosso Calderara Sottana (750ml)
A slightly funky nose with a touch of reduction at the very first sniff. This shows strawberries, lemon zest, watermelon and peaches. Soft and smooth on the attack, this has velvety tannins and crisp, lifted acidity. Energetic due to its freshness and pre...
2021 Graci Etna Rosso DOC
The Graci 2021 Etna Rosso reveals a structured but slender personality with bright berry fruit, redcurrant and wild berry. The wine is balanced and fresh. It shows the specific volcanic character that only wines from the charred slopes of Etna can deliver...
2020 Karamolegos - Assyrtiko Santorini Estate
The bottle age shows in the light honeyed aroma. Green fruits and quince sour-fresh brightness. Crisp, intense and mouth-watering and yet rounded in the mouth. Intense and creamy, with a long green-fruited aftertaste.
2023 Karamolegos - Assyrtiko Feredini (750ml)
The 2023 Karamolegos Assyrtiko Feredini is a beautiful expression of Santorini's iconic grape variety, Assyrtiko. It opens with a fresh, vibrant nose, offering aromas of citrus zest, green apple, and a touch of saline minerality, evoking the island's volcanic soils. There's a subtle herbal note in the background, like wild thyme or oregano, adding complexity. On the palate, the wine is crisp and refreshing with a lively acidity that perfectly balances its medium body. Flavors of citrus and crunchy yellow fruits are complemented by a stony minerality typical of the region. The finish is long and precise, with a delightful tension between fruit and salinity, leaving a clean, refreshing aftertaste. Ideal with seafood or Mediterranean dishes, it also stands on its own as a refreshing aperitif.
2022 Passopisciaro - Terre Siciliane Bianco IGT Passobianco
The 2022 Passobianco wafts up with a pretty and lifted air of wildflowers, chalk dust and a gentle tinge of spice. This opens with a lovely inner sweetness and ripe orchard fruits as traces of salty minerals and a bump of brisk acidity add balance. It ...
2022 Sigalas - Mavrotragano Mandilaria Cyclades "Mm"
The Domaine Sigalas 2022 Mavrotragano Mandilaria Mμ is a 50-50 blend of both these red grapes cultivated on the island of Santorini. The wine ages in large oak casks for one year and reveals punchy flavors of cherry, cassis, grilled watermelon and apple c...
2021 Tornatore - Etna Bianco DOC Pietrarizzo
A compact, light- to medium-bodied white, this shows a firm spine of acidity while remaining creamy and supple in texture. Opens in the glass, with fruit flavors of creamed apple, mandarin orange peel and kiwi, while accents of elderflower and salted almo...
2019 Tornatore - Etna Rosso DOC Pietrarizzo
Like a spice box on the nose, the 2019 Etna Rosso Pietrarizzo opens with dried cherries and cloves, complicated by incense, cedar shavings and mint. It washes across the palate like pure silk. A salty core of minerality adds unexpected depth, and tart wil...