Carricante 'Centennial Mountain', Aeris [by Rhys] 2018

The early results from Carricante grown at Centennial Mountain have surpassed our expectations, and it seems clear that this remote vineyard is a perfect New World home for this Sicilian variety. The winemaking here is straightforward and the methods are modeled after those we employ for the Aeris Etna Bianco Superiore produced on Mt. Etna. This regime includes fermentation with indigenous yeast and aging in a variety of neutral vessels, including 300L stainless steel barrels and large 10 and 25hL oak casks.

The Bianco bottling is meant to be an earlier drinking Carricante, although we expect it to have a long, robust life. It highlights the terrific complexity and versatility of Carricante. One of Carricante’s great attributes is that it complements a much broader range of food compared to Chardonnay while offering similar complexity and interest. Customers loved the 2017 bottling of this wine and we feel this 2018 is a great leap forward for Carricante in California.