Vini di Luca Virgola Etna Bianco, Sicily, Italy

Lemon peel, green apple, and saline mineral notes open with remarkable freshness and precision. 2023 Vini di Luca Virgola Etna Bianco is a tiny-production Carricante shaped by hand harvesting, stainless steel aging, and extended contact with fine lees, drawing its distinctive tension from the volcanic landscape of Contrada Zottorinoto. It reflects Luca Zumbo’s small-scale approach to winegrowing and the continuation of vineyard work learned alongside his father, Salvatore.

Product Details:

• Owner: Luca Zumbo
• Producer Team: Luca Zumbo and Salvatore Zumbo
• Grapes: 100% Carricante
• Vineyard Source: Contrada Zottorinoto
• Harvest Method: Hand-harvested
• Aging: 5 months in stainless steel
• Lees Aging: Fine lees with bâtonnage three times per week
• Malolactic Fermentation: None
• ABV: 12.5%
• Production: 700 bottles
• Lot: 5725

Sensory Description:

The nose is finely drawn, moving through lemon peel, pink grapefruit, green apple, fresh herbs, and subtle floral notes. Bright acidity gives the palate a taut, energetic frame, carrying lime and nectarine into a distinctly saline, mineral core. Fine-lees aging adds gentle texture without weight, with touches of hazelnut and a lightly creamy nuance set against the wine’s persistent citrus drive. The finish is long, precise, and savory, retaining the freshness and volcanic character that define this small-production Carricante.

Winemaker's Background:

Vini di Luca is the small Etna project of Luca Zumbo, rooted in vineyard land worked by his family. Luca’s father, Salvatore, retained the family property and passed on the vineyard knowledge that underpins the project today. The parcel in Contrada Zottorinoto was purchased and restored in 2018 and planted to Carricante in a carefully spaced quincunx pattern designed to encourage ventilation and limit shading between vines. The name Virgola, meaning “comma” in Italian, reflects Luca’s view of wine as a new beginning alongside his background in physics, connecting two different ways of studying and engaging with nature.

Serving Suggestions:

Serve chilled at 8 to 10 degrees Celsius in a medium-sized white wine glass to emphasize its citrus aromatics, fine-lees texture, and saline mineral line. Its bright acidity works particularly well with grilled branzino, shellfish, citrus-dressed seafood, vegetable dishes, or roasted cauliflower with lemon-zest labneh.