Cottanera, ‘Barbazzale’ Bianco 2020

Region: Sicily, Italy Varietal: 95% Catarratto, 5% Viognier Tasting notes: The Barbazzale Bianco is composed of predominantly Catarratto, the most typical, and widely planted, white grape variety in Sicily. As is characteristic of Catarratto wines, Barbazzale Bianco exhibits a pleasant freshness with delicate floral perfumes of wisteria and Scotch broom on a saline backdrop. On the palate, it is fresh and sapid. Barbazzale is the name of the “contrada,” or wine district, in which the grapes are planted in the volcanic soil of Mt. Etna, lending a remarkable minerality to the wine. Producer: In its essence, the story of the Cottanera winery is about a return to one’s roots. The story begins with Francesco Cambria, who, in 1962, seeking a retreat from his career in Messina, bought 100 hectares of vines and hazelnut groves near his birthplace in Randazzo. Francesco cultivated hazelnuts and also initially sold grapes to the local cooperative, but with the arrival of DOC status for Etna