The first time we tried the white wines from Maugeri, we knew immediately they were something special. Given the estate has only been in production for the past few years, we were completely out of the loop when our friends at Oliver McCrum Imports poured the high-end expressions for us at a recent appointment.
Then the big announcement came out.
This past month, Gambero Rosso awarded just two white wines from Etna the coveted Tre Bicchieri (three glasses) as the region’s best, and Maugeri’s Etna Bianco Superiore Contrada Volpare was one of them.
In addition to the Tre Bicchieri, Maugeri was also honored with the award of top emerging winery in all of Italy, with Gambero Rosso writing: “Etna continues to produce spectacular new labels and new wineries. In just three harvests, the winery of Renato Maugeri and his daughters Carla, Michela, and Paola has established itself as one of the denomination’s most significant, from vineyard-specific winemaking to a complete hospitality system.”
What makes the wines from Maugeri so distinctive is their dedication to typicality and locality. There’s no flashy winemaking interfering with the inherent character of the grapes or the expression of the land. The location is allowed to speak for itself and the Maugeri family has proven itself to be the perfect steward for these vineyards.
There are three core wines from Maugeri, but we are focusing on just one of them today: the 2022 Contrada Praino “Frontemare” Etna Bianco Superiore. Made from 100% Carricante, the wine has the same creaminess of texture and flinty minerality we expect from top Burgundy producers in Montrachet. Grown in sandy decomposed lava soil near Milo, on the east side of Mount Etna, the vines were planted around 2010, on terraces surrounded by dry-stone walls and forest, at about 2,300 feet above sea level. The fruit from this vineyard translates into flavors of wet stones and Mediterranean herbs in the glass with bright acidity and a stunning minerality that transcends the finish.
2022 Contrada Praino “Frontemare” Etna Bianco Superiore $74.99
94 POINTS: JAMES SUCKLING - Fresh and crunchy with sliced lemon, spiced pear and cooked apple with bright acidity. Medium body, with a solid and layered core of fruit. It’s bright yet deep with plenty of structure and fruit. Flinty and minerally at the end. Drink or hold.
93 POINTS: VINOUS - The 2022 Etna Bianco Superiore Contrada Praino Frontemare opens slowly with a nuanced blend of citrus-tinged green apples, ginger and candied lime. This is cool-toned in feel with soft textures and ripe orchard fruits that swirl across a core of brisk acidity. Its minerality comes through on the flinty, stony finish, tapering off with a subtle hint of chamomile.
GAMBERO ROSSO - Tre Bicchieri (Three Glasses) - Highest Score