A pure expression of Carricante, the entry-level Pietradolce 2020 Etna Bianco is a fun and versatile wine made in a simple manner in steel vats to lock in freshness. The bouquet reveals citrus, white peach and crushed stone. Fruit is drawn from a five-hectare site at a high 750 meters above sea level with well-draining sandy soils mixed in with lots of stones. The wine is clean and snappy, and that pretty acidity adds lots of life and spirit to the bouquet. Production is a solid 15,000 bottles and you get excellent value.

The 2018 Etna Bianco is fresh and buoyant with lots of pretty white flower and citrus definition followed by zesty mineral or salty sensations on the close. This is a carefully measured and focused wine with a very polished or glossy characteristic that I associate with the unique winemaking personality achieved at Pietradolce, one of my favorite estates on Etna. I love the sharpness and the precision of this beautifully accessible wine. Some 10,000 bottles were made.

Light notes of ash and pencil shaving open the bouquet of the 2017 Etna Bianco. This vintage does not have the depth or width of previous editions. However, it does show impressive aromatic precision and focus. Dried grass, crushed stone and citrus fruit emerge from the fresh and zesty bouquet. Some 9,000 bottles were produced. You get great value here.

The Carricante-based 2016 Etna Bianco is a gorgeous wine with deep intensity and clarity of aromas. The bouquet offers white peach, pear and apricot with pretty mineral definition at the back. Those aromas may appear simple on first nose, but the roundness and richness of the bouquet renders a layered effect, with new surprises that peel off one by one.

With fruit sourced 800 meters above sea level on the flank of the mighty Mount Etna, the 2015 Etna Bianco (100% Carricante) is a versatile and food friendly wine. It offers standard aromas of citrus, lime and garden herb. Perhaps the bouquet is slightly penalized by a greenish note of wild asparagus or oregano. Drying notes of crushed granite and volcanic ash are also part of the wine's aromatic performance.