Maugeri Contrada Volpare "Frontebosco" Etna Bianco Superiore 2022

There's something electric about Etna whites—maybe it's the volcano literally humming beneath your feet while you walk these vineyards, or maybe it's just that Carricante has this uncanny ability to bottle lightning. Giuseppe Maugeri gets it. His family has been growing vines on the northern slopes of Mount Etna for generations, but it wasn't until Giuseppe returned home after working harvests across Europe that he began farming organically and making wine that truly speaks to this extraordinary place.

Frontebosco sits at about 750 meters on volcanic soils so mineral-rich you can practically taste the earth's core. This is Carricante at its most precise and profound—100% from this single contrada, fermented spontaneously in stainless steel, then aged for a year before bottling. No tricks, no additions, just pure volcanic expression.

In the glass, it's brilliant straw yellow with this beautiful tension between opulent stone fruit and razor-sharp acidity. Think white peach and Meyer lemon zest meeting crushed limestone and sea spray, with this wonderful saline quality that makes your mouth water. There's a whisper of wild herbs—maybe oregano, maybe thyme—and this persistent mineral thread that just goes on and on.

This is the kind of wine that makes you want to eat. Pair it with grilled fish drizzled in olive oil, fresh ricotta with good bread and tomatoes, or even a simple roast chicken with herbs. Hell, crack it on a Tuesday with some olives and tell us it doesn't make everything taste better.

Region: Etna DOC, Sicily
Variety: Carricante
Farming: Organic
Winemaking: Spontaneous fermentation in stainless steel, aged 12 months
ABV: 13%

One sip demands another.