Etna's Biondi—Friday, February 7th

It's no secret: we're crazy about Sicily and the stunning, terroir driven wines it produces. 

Over the millennia, the island has played host to Phoenician and Greek colonies, the Roman and Byzantine empires, the Ostrogoths and the Vandals - and that's all before the Norman invasion and establishment of the first (of a few) Kingdom of Sicily. As much geopolitical shifting that went on, there was even more geological movement, thus forming the unique and incredibly varied terroir and microclimates across the island. And within that diverse landscape, Mt. Etna stands out - both literally and figuratively - in its almost unmatched ability to communicate specific terroir with clarity. 

There is perhaps no better way to understand just how powerfully Etna injects a specific, concentrated mineral core into its wines than to taste ones from Ciro Biondi's cellar. The family has been on the southeast side of the volcano since 1800 (conservatively), and unlike the dark, structured wines of the northern slope, this side is all delicate tension and electric texture. Biondi sources from steep, terraced vineyards, high in elevation and owned by the Biondi family since the winery's founding. His whites are round, lush, and mineral, with lightly floral, herbal accents draped across stone fruit and mixed citrus, and an acid structure that hits the palate like a fine point; his reds are lithe and lively, even with the intense concentration of fruit they carry. 

Biondi has for years now been Solano's favorite Etna producer. On Friday, we're opening bottles of his stunning Etna Rosso and Bianco bottlings to showcase why - Etna Rosso from two specific sites planted along opposing, very steep sides of a spent crater dating back to 125 BCE; electric Etna Bianco from the first vineyard the Biondi family planted over 200 years ago; and easily the most finessed and elegant entry-level (in name only) Etna Rosso and Bianco we've ever come across.

*No Reservations Needed