The 2017 Etna Rosso (made with 80% Nerello Mascalese and 20% Nerello Cappuccio) offers a very smoky and ashy bouquet that tells you, without any doubt, that this is a wine from the mighty Etna volcano. Rose petal and light berry aromas blur and soften the lines of those pretty mineral notes that are so strong at the beginning. Blue violets and blueberries are delicate accents that fill out the close. This vintage really pulls it all together nicely, a great pairing for pappardelle with wild chanterelle mushrooms. With 70,000 bottles made, this is an accessible wine offered at a great value.

The 2016 Etna Rosso is a blend of 80% Nerello Mascalese and 20% Nerello Cappuccio. The grapes were fermented separately. The Nerello Mascalese is aged in barrique for ten months, whereas the Nerello Cappuccio only sees stainless steel. This vintage is slightly lacking in intensity. You get aromas of wild berry, licorice and tar, but the volume is turned down a notch or two. Some 70,000 bottles were produced.

The 2015 Etna Rosso is a traditional blend of 80% Nerello Mascalese and 20% Nerello Cappuccio. Thanks to this blend, the color intensity of the wine shows a deeper ruby color. This is a streamlined and elegant wine with wild berry aromas, anise seed, dark mineral and crushed flint. The finish is slightly salty and the tannins are snappy and firm. Fruit is sourced from three sides of the volcano (the northern, southeast and southwest slopes) from parcels that range from 450 to 900 meters above sea level.

A traditional blend of Nerellos Mascalese and Cappuccio, the 2014 Etna Rosso is a simple and streamlined wine for sure, but there's nothing banal about it. The Nerello Cappuccio element comes through in the form of crushed white pepper and grilled herb. It gives the wine a wild and untamed side that is quite exciting. Wild berry and balsam herb also appear. Benanti is one of Etna's most important producers and the family has done a terrific job with this base red. The finish is a bit lean and short but zesty nonetheless.