Aromas of fresh plums, peaches and nectarines with some lemon blossom. Some caramel. It’s full-bodied yet stealth with wonderfully fine textured tannins that spread openly across the palate. Oranges at the end with some candied lemons. Drink or hold.

Showing a floral and slightly more fragrant side to Nerello Mascalese, the Benanti 2021 Etna Rosso Contrada Monte Serra (with fruit from the Viagrande side of the volcano) is packed tight with red berries and little background details that recall volcanic stone, mountain herb and dried lavender. The wine is straight and linear over the palate with very fine and dusty tannins. However, this wine feels more open and ready to me compared to the Contrada Cavaliere.

A pure expression of Nerello Mascalese, the Benanti 2018 Etna Rosso Contrada Monte Serra is a punchy and fresh red wine with fruit from the village of Viagrande at 450 meters in altitude, considered high elevation anywhere else in Italy except on Etna. The fruit comes from a wide variety of vines, ranging from 13 to 100 years old. Some 6,000 bottles were released, and this wine was first made in 2016. The Monte Serra shows tart and lifted aromas of cassis and wild berry. The fruit is not very intense, but it delivers silky and delicate lines nonetheless.

In its second year now, the 2017 Etna Rosso Contrada Monte Serra is a slightly more fragile and subdued wine compared to its cousin from the Contrada Cavaliere. The floral impact of this wine leaves a lasting impression, and the quality of fruit veers toward wild berries and cranberries. There is a note of plush or succulent sweetness that seems very specific to this wine. The tannins are silky, and the wine is mid-weight in texture but noticeably long in persistence. This pure expression of Nerello Mascalese would pair nicely with fresh tuna and capers served with tomato sauce on pasta. Some 6,000 bottles were made.

This is a new wine from Benanti. The 2016 Etna Rosso Contrada Monte Serra (with 6,000 bottles made) is a steady red wine from a vintage that delivered uneven results on Etna. This is a single-vineyard expression with fruit from the southeast side of Etna in the Contrada Monte Serra (Viagrande). Alberello (or head-pruned) vines are planted 500 meters above sea level, and although the age of the plants varies, they are 13 years old on average. The wine opens to a lean ruby appearance. Like other reds from this vintage, the mouthfeel offers medium intensity. It is slightly diluted in the mid-palate, but it could flesh out with more bottle time.