Benanti’s roots in Sicily date back to 1734, when a member of the Bolognese family was sent to the island by Vittorio Amedeo d’Aosta. 250 years later, inspired by the local viticultural heritage and dramatic landscape, Giuseppe Benanti (1944-2023) began producing wine from indigenous Etna grapes. Those first vintages shaped what has been the mission of the family ever since: creating wines that celebrate the terroir and soul of Etna, in all its complexity and depth.
Through research and experience, Benanti has transformed passion into craftsmanship and wonder into knowledge, becoming the most faithful interpreters of the grapes and terroirs of the indomitable and complex landscape of Etna. With Giuseppe’s sons, Antonio and Salvino, now at the helm, Benanti’s wines are among the most representative of Etna and its different slopes. These wines stand out for both their quality and their faithful embodiment of terroir and vintage.
Unique diversity
Currently standing at 3,357 metres – although its height varies with eruptions, as the volcano is still active – Mount Etna dominates eastern Sicily. It has long captured the imagination of growers, winemakers and connoisseurs due to the dramatic and varied character of its landscape and the resulting idiosyncrasy of its wines. Each slope has its own cultural and viticultural history, shaped by both nature and men; different exposure, altitude, soil type and texture, brightness levels, rainfall, ventilation, maritime influence and farming systems create a fascinating mosaic of terroirs.
As the only winery with vineyards on every slope of the Etna DOC, Benanti has long understood the need to produce wines linked to the individual identity of each slope, having pioneered a microterroir approach. This recognition led to the creation of the Selezione Contrade, a range of single-vineyard wines that express the uniqueness of each site (or ‘contrada’): Calderara Sottana in Randazzo; Dafara Galluzzo in Rovittello, Castiglione di Sicilia; Rinazzo in Milo; Monte Serra in Viagrande; and Cavaliere in Santa Maria di Licodia.
Quality and timelessness
Alongside Benanti’s Icons – flagship wines deeply linked to the story of the winery and recognised as benchmarks of Etna viticulture – the Contrade Selection offers a uniquely comprehensive showcase of this singular Italian DOC. Each wine embodies Benanti’s ethos, defined by character, authenticity and elegance, and reflected in a philosophical and technical approach that yields wines that are true modern classics. Timeless and ageworthy, these are bottles that invite reflection on centuries of winemaking heritage and a deep connection with a landscape defined by the elements in all their untamed power.
