Monteleone

Why Monteleone is Essential
The recent history of Mount Etna has been a succession of waves. In the early 2000s, there was what we can call the Era of Explorers and Locals (Franchetti, Cornelissen and de Grazie, as well as Benanti, Graci and Barone di Villagrande) who saw potential and raised the world's awareness for the mountain's vineyards and its mysteries. Then, the late 2000s and early 2010s saw what I call the "Nerello Rush," as seemingly every big name in Italian wine invested and tried to tap into the craze. Now, we're in the period of maturity, where things have leveled out a bit, quality has become more consistent, but standing out from the crowd has become harder.
Is this the ideal environment for a start-up? Just ask Giulia Monteleone and her husband, Benedetto Alessandro, the most promising "newcomers" on Mount Etna. I put that word in quotes because Benedetto has extensive experience consulting at Tenuta di Fessina, and together, this couple established their winery in 2017. Still, Giulia Monteleone is a Palermo-based journalist by profession, which makes her perhaps an unlikely co-protagonist in the future of Etna. And the going has not been easy: their first full vintage, 2018, was such a disaster that they had to turn to contract vineyards just to make a release.
But it's amazing what you can accomplish when you combine a fierce passion (i.e. Giulia Monteleone) and incredible enological acumen (i.e. Benedetto Alessandro). These wines are not just threading the needle on a technical level, they're offering a taste of Etna that always feels personal and intimate.
Much of the estate's intrigue lies in its location, on a part of the north slope that often goes overlooked: the unheard-of Contrada Sciambro, down on the outer limits of the DOC against a strange canyon carved by the Alcantara River (it literally cuts through a lava flow and limestone at the same time). At 500 meters above sea level, Monteleone and Alessandro's vineyards are relatively low by Etna standards, but the river and nearby stands of trees help modulate some of the temperatures. They also have some clay mixed into their soil, further underscoring "the fringes of Etna" feeling surrounding this place. In fact, Giulia Monteleone has talked to the Etna consorzio to have "Contrada Cuba" classified as a separate area, carved out from Contrada Sciambro.
But make no mistake: their wines are born of lava and its magic, and you can notice this by how they are quick-footed across the palate, agile with different cuisines, and mineral beyond the outer ranges of the expected. This estate holds tremendous promise.

Castiglione in Sicilia, Sicily
Grapes: Nerello Mascalese, Carricante
Appellations/Cru: Etna Rosso DOC, Etna Bianco DOC
American Importer: Strada Branche, Old World Imports
Originally listed: October 2024


Wines to Seek Out
Monteleone produces three wines from their estate vineyards in Contrada Sciambro — the Etna Bianco, the Etna Rosso, and a second Etna Rosso called "Qubba" — while the "Arthemis" and "Rumex" come from those vineyards they rented to bolster their offerings. Every wine is precise, delicious and indicative of Mount Etna's beautiful terroir, but the "Arthemis" and "Qubba" are the standouts for me vintage after vintage.
Monteleone Etna Bianco
Because of the Etna Bianco Superiore designation — which is confined to the top terroir of Milo — we are perhaps misled to judge all other Etna Bianchi by a different standard. This wine comes from a vineyard that, at least on paper, might feel unremarkable: five hundred meters of elevation, volcanic and clay soils, younger vines. Yet it is deliciously evocative of sweet yellow fruits, and offers a tremendous "salty ocean spray" like aroma on the nose. To me, this entry-level Etna Bianco shows why Carricante from here can be among the most consistently excellent categories for white wine in the world.
Monteleone “Arthemis” Etna Bianco
Monteleone's signature white wine is quite the Etna Bianco: elegant, pear-forward, salty-yet-creamy, and often revealing a remarkably clear aroma similar to wild fennel, which grows all over the place on Etna. “Arthemis” comes from a vineyard in Sant’Alfio, which is still on the eastern slope where Carricante thrives most, only a little lower in elevation than the Etna Bianco Superiore zone. For anyone who loves the graceful style of White Burgundy, particularly Chablis, yet is curious about volcanic wines, this wine is a sure fire pick.
Monteleone Etna Rosso
A field blend of 90% Nerello Mascalese and 10% Nerello Cappuccio, the standard-bearer Etna Rosso might strike a newcomer in the same way that Pinot Noir does: a similar level of juiciness, earthiness and reams of dark cherry aroma. However, it is in the firm tannins, the touch of savory flavor, and the orange citrus-like acidity that this wine shows its Etna bona fides. A great candidate for introducing your friends to what Etna Rosso is all about.
Monteleone “Qubba” Etna Rosso
Taking its name from Cuba di Santa Domenica, an abandoned Byzantine church lying just down the road from the vineyard, the Etna Rosso called "Qubba" includes a bit of ancient-vine Alicante (also known as Grenache). Perhaps there is just enough of that personality to account for how this wine's fruit feels like strawberries at times, but the sensations of orange peel, herbs and minerality are pure Nerello Mascalese. Because of the balance achieved on the palate, I think this is the wine that always shows me how skilled Benedetto is. I've now tasted three different vintages of this wine, and it is always pristine.
Monteleone “Rumex” Etna Rosso
Like "Arthemis," this wine comes from a vineyard where Monteleone has brokered a contract for the fruit each year. The vineyard lies in Contrada Ponte Palino, roughly south and upslope from the main winery, and it spends a few more months in oak tonneaux barrels than the "Qubba" or standard-bearer Etna Rosso. Offering darker cherry aromas yet a very fresh, focused and evocative sense of direction, "Rumex's" elegance lies in its restraint. In youth, the tannins are quite firm but not aggressive. This seems to be a wine with awesome aging potential, but its too early to know for sure, as 2018 was the first vintage.