Benanti, who will preview at Vinitaly 2025 the new Contrada Monte Serra Etna DOC Bianco label, a Carricante that tells the bright and elegant identity of the south-eastern side of Etna, closing the circle of a unique territorial project.

On the south-eastern side of Etna, in the territory of Viagrande, lies the Contrada Monte Serra: a historic area for the Benanti family and today the cradle of the new Contrada Monte Serra Etna DOC Bianco , previewed at Vinitaly 2025.

“ This wine marks the completion of a project born to tell, through Carricante, the three historical souls of this noble and shy vine: Etna Est, Etna Sud-Ovest and Etna Sud-Est – say Antonio and Salvino Benanti at the helm of the company owned by Brave Wine , the wine holding company founded by the entrepreneur Renzo Rosso – After the labels Contrada Rinazzo da Milo, and Contrada Cavaliere da Santa Maria di Licodia, Benanti adds a new piece with a wine that reflects all the delicacy and energy of the south-eastern side, ideally closing the circle of its own ‘map of Carricante ‘”.

At Monte Serra, the very origin of the Benanti project, Carricante finds a clear and contemporary voice. The soils, born from the crumbling of lava materials from a thousand-year-old eruption of the homonymous crater, are sandy, deep and rich in minerals, with little presence of skeleton and an exceptional drainage capacity. “ In Contrada Monte Serra, ” says Enzo Calì, the company’s winemaker, “ the yields are naturally low and the slopes of the land require great skill: expert hands, knowledge of the place and great daily attention are needed. The proximity to the Ionian Sea gives us constant ventilation and ideal brightness, factors that contribute to the health of the grapes and a slow and regular ripening of the fruit. The vineyard, young but already very promising, is trained as a high-density Etna sapling and comes from a careful clonal and rootstock selection. This approach encourages healthy competition between the plants and allows us to obtain high-quality grapes. The harvest, which takes place in the third ten days of September, is manual. The grapes are destemmed and pressed whole with a soft squeeze, as is our custom .” In the cellar, Benanti continues its path of loyalty to the terroir: fermentation takes place in steel at a controlled temperature, using a native yeast selected over the years within the company’s vineyards. The wine then matures for 12 months in a tank on the fine lees, with periodic bâtonnage, and is further refined for 6 months in the bottle.

Contrada Monte Serra Etna DOC Bianco presents itself with a bright straw yellow and green reflections. On the nose it expresses all the delicacy of Carricante: orange blossom, green apple, thyme, citrus peel. With evolution, hints of yellow apple, flint, hydrocarbon, light honeyed notes emerge. On the palate it is taut, savoury, deeply mineral, with a freshness that accompanies a long citrus persistence. Benanti has always had a deep passion for Carricante, an indigenous grape variety that has been able to interpret in an identity-driven, elegant and long-lived way. From the iconic Pietra Marina Etna Bianco Superiore – internationally recognised as one of Italy’s great whites – to the classic method sparkling wines Noblesse and Noblesse 48 months , Benanti has built a coherent, rigorous and innovative path dedicated to this variety. The new Contrada Monte Serra Etna DOC Bianco fits naturally into this story, adding a new nuance to the profile of the grape variety and the territory. With this new wine, Benanti not only completes his trilogy of Contrada whites, but reinforces a vision that has always guided his work: to tell the story of Etna in its entirety, in its complexity, in its authenticity. “Benanti, Etna in its entirety” is not just a statement, but a production philosophy that translates into elegance, authenticity and absolute respect for the land.

At Vinitaly 2025 , at the Benanti stand (Hall 2 Corridor A Stand 4) , the new Contrada Monte Serra Etna DOC Bianco will be revealed in preview: further testimony to the winery’s vision, which continues to tell the story of Etna in all its luminous complexity.

THE TASTING COUNTER IN VERONA AND ALL THE EVENTS OF THIS HISTORIC MILESTONE.

On the occasion of the thirtieth anniversary of the recognition of the denomination , Verduno Pelaverga DOC will be present at Vinitaly 2025, at a tasting stand in Pavilion 10 E3 . The labels of the producers of the Verduno è Pelaverga association will be on tasting, to celebrate a wine with ancient roots, which today continues to tell the uniqueness of its territory of origin.

A native vine dating back to the 17th century, Pelaverga is the symbol of a long winemaking history that has preserved and enhanced an extraordinary ampelographic heritage: this wine represents the authenticity of a territory where the passion of the producers has made the difference.

The thirtieth anniversary of the DOC has given rise to a calendar of events, tastings and meetings that are livening up 2025, including participation in Vinitaly.

A year of events to celebrate Verduno Pelaverga DOC

2025 will see Verduno Pelaverga DOC as the protagonist of a series of events at national and international level. After Nebbiolo Prima and Grandi Langhe in Piedmont, last January, there was a tasting bench in Stockholm in February, on the occasion of Barolo & Friends and the appointment in March with Indigena World Tour in Houston led by Ian D’Agata; in late spring an incoming of international sommeliers is planned and, in the summer, “Verduno Pelaverga and Contemporary Cuisine” will take place in Holland. In September, an incoming of Italian journalists will be held in Verduno for the tasting of the 2024 vintage of Verduno Pelaverga DOC and the official investiture of the Ambassadors of Verduno Pelaverga DOC .

“ Verduno Pelaverga DOC – explains the president of the association, Diego Morra – is much more than a wine. It is a centuries-old story that links nature, tradition and innovation. A grape variety that, thanks to the tenacity and obstinacy of the Verduno producers, has managed to survive and stand out in the Italian wine scene. This thirtieth anniversary is for all of us an opportunity to share with the world a wine that we love, but also a piece of Italian history, a heritage of knowledge, techniques and passions that make Verduno Pelaverga DOC a unique standard-bearer of the Piedmont region and of the Langhe in particular ”.

A masterclass on the results of the experiments within the VISTA Lucido Project.

Consortium for the Protection of DOC Sicilian Wines: at VINITALY.

The agronomic, oenological and sensorial initiatives for the valorisation and relaunch of the historic Sicilian vine Lucido (synonymous with Catarratto Bianco) promoted by the Consorzio di Tutela Vini DOC Sicilia, through the VISTA project (Innovative and Sustainable Valorization of the Terroir of Native Varieties) Lucido, financed under Sub-measure 16.1 of the PSR SICILIA 2014-2022.

The adhesion to the project by leading Sicilian wineries, the Sicilian Region, the Regional Institute of Wine and Oil, under the guidance of the Consortium and the support of an Innovation Broker, has constituted a shared prototype of applied research in the winemaking sector.

The project, which will be completed in the next few months, has as its object the development of new production practices based on a sustainable supply chain, the experimentation of a new production style and the valorization of Lucido in the national and international market, with the ultimate goal of an increase in competitiveness along the vine supply chain.

Lucido plays a leading role in Sicilian viticulture, representing not only the most widespread variety, with approximately 30,000 hectares cultivated, but also a symbol of the region’s winemaking tradition; versatile and resilient, it contributes to the diversity and richness of the island’s production, offering a wide range of organoleptic nuances. Its potential is attributable to the production of mono-varietal wines, but also to the composition of blends that express the identity and complexity of the Sicilian terroir.

On Monday 7 April, at 3 pm, at stand G79 in Pavilion 2 Sicily, the Consortium will present a masterclass in which Giovanni Colugnati, Innovation Broker of the project , will illustrate the results of some of the micro and meso vinifications conducted at the experimental cellar of IRVO in Marsala, in collaboration with the Research Centre of the University of Palermo and the project partner companies.

For more information on the project, visit the VISTA Lucido webpage.

GRAPPA RISERVA 25 YEARS and the new ZERO-ALCOHOL: Distilleria Castagner’s Vinitaly, with ALCOHOL TESTER at the stand for responsible drinking.

Castagner Distillery, Hall 7 stand A6.

From 25-year-old Grappa to new zero-alcohol products: Distilleria Castagner is celebrating innovation at Vinitaly, moving in very different directions (and for different audiences) but united by the vision and technical skills of master distiller Roberto Castagner.

Three highlights: Sunday 6 April at 3:00 pm the presentation of GRAPPA RISERVA 25 YEARS , an aging choice that enhances the organoleptic potential of grappa and places it rightfully among the noblest distillates. The tasting combined with Domori chocolate told by Riccardo Illy .

On Monday 7th from 12.00 focus on the world of mixology, with bartender Samuele Ambrosi presenting his drink list based on CASTA , a very pure grappa developed specifically for mixing.

Tuesday 8th from 12.00 presentation of the new ZERO ALCOHOL Castagner products, with a preview tasting of the new ROBÌ NON-ALCOHOLIC APERITIF and LEON ZERO AMARO.

Visitors will be welcomed by a stand that speaks of spring, covered in cherry blossoms: it is the tribute to the 10 years of Grappa Barrique di Ciliegio , a leading product of the Treviso distillery, which for the entire duration of the fair will be possible to taste “barrel proof” directly from a barrique exceptionally installed at the stand, in the exclusive 10-year aging.

In closing, an invitation to responsibility wanted by Roberto Castagner, committed to promoting the use of the breathalyzer, so as not to have to give up the pleasures of conviviality but always move safely. Every day from 4:00 pm at the stand a free breathalyzer test service is available (by reservation) for those who want to check their blood alcohol level before driving.

Attached is the program of Castagner’s activities at Vinitaly. If you are interested in any particular tasting, please let me know so I can reserve a seat for you.