PLANETA

SICILY, ITALY

Why Buy: Some of the most exceptional white wines in the world right now are coming out of Sicily's rich volcanic soils, and to share our love for them we've reached deep into the stellar portfolio of Planeta, whose wines are made from indigenous varieties of grapes grown at high-elevation in ancient lava beds. This quartet is both a vivid display of how wine can speak powerfully and eloquently of time and place and a reminder of what a great value Planeta remains.

What They're Saying: Wine & Spirits awarded 94 points to the Nerro Mascalese Sicilia Eruzione 1614 2019, sourced from high-elevation vines around Planeta’s Sciaranuova winery on Etna’s north slope: "Easy-drinking yet packed with personality," it wrote, a wine of "taut raspberry and blood-orange flavors scented with notes of smoke and pink blossoms." Wine Enthusiast hailed the Cometa Fiano 2021 for its aromatics ("a warm sweetness defines the nose, which has notes of honeysuckle, quince paste, cooked apple and banana") and its rich, developed palate, which summons hints of "nutty banana bread, with overtones of citrus zest and salt providing pop. A delicious and comforting, yet structured, wine." The nose of the Carricante Sicilia Eruzione 1614 2020 was, for James Suckling, a point of discussion as well; he called it "intense," with "hints of oatmeal, kernels, white nuts ... braised lemons and apples; he went on to praise its "bright, zesty acidity," "excellent concentration," and "nice, phenolic kick at the end." Suckling also weighed in on the Chardonnay Sicilia Menfi, calling it "bright and creamy on the palate with a full body and flavorful, zesty finish."

The Story: As you know, Sicily (and more specifically, Etna) is the source of some of the most rewarding winemaking to be found in Italy today, as winemakers take advantage of the acutely steep slopes and rich, volcanic soil to produce wines of exceptional merit, with a distinctive earthy minerality that lends them both distinction and an incomparable lift. And that's what we love about Planeta, which tends those extraordinarily rich and diverse volcanic soils with utmost devotion to produce some of Italy's most distinctive wines. Also, some of Italy's greatest wine values. Launched four decades ago by siblings Alessio, Francesca, and Santi Planeta on an estate that the family has owned since the 1600s, Planeta has not just made study of the land and its many soil varieties a component of its mission; it has placed it at the very heart of it. The character of the individual soils is what determines the wine-making strategy for each of the six distinct estates it maintains across Sicily. What makes their white wines so complex and delicious is, one, the presence of Carricante grapes, an uncommon variety, even in Italy; and two, the fact that these grapes have been grown in black sand at high altitude.

Our Tasting Notes: We have to hand it to winemaker Patricia Tóth: it's not at all easy to craft four wines and to have each of them taste so different and so distinct from the others. That's a tribute to her handiwork, and to her exacting attention to detail. It also speaks to the hyper-focus, at Planeta, on using indigenous grapes to express the particular character of a particular patch of land, and on intervening as little as possible in the winemaking process, from growing the grapes to cellaring the wines. The common denominators in all four of these are a striking and delicately attenuated richness (and the way they sustain this quality all the way to the finish) and an exceptionally clear sense of definition; these are wines that know exactly what they want to be, and do not waver even in a moment in expressing it.

Fun Fact: Until Planeta and other pioneers arrived, in the 1990s, Sicily was known largely in the wine world as a producer of bulk wines for mainland Italy.

Our Guarantee: We always buy and source direct, so rest assured: your spirits will arrive in your hands with pristine provenance. Secure your order today!

*Offer NOT valid in-store. This offer is made pre-arrival, with wines estimated to be delivered to your preferred store in Spring 2024. With the supply chain issues that we are seeing globally, there may be some unforeseen delays which could affect the ETA. All sale prices are the lowest available at Total Wine & More and ONLY valid through Concierge Sales. No further discounts or coupons may be applied. Offer not valid in KS, MI, NY, or TN. This offer is for ONE WEEK, or until sold out, and will expire on Tuesday, January 9th, 2024.

*Due to limited storage space for pre-ordered product, we can only hold orders for 30 days from the first notification that your order is ready for pickup. If you are unable to pick up your order within 30 days, please contact Concierge Sales at (855) 841-2752 or conciergesales@totalwine.com to make an arrangement. A store associate may reach out periodically to notify you of your order. Unfortunately, if no arrangements have been made, after 30 days, the order will need to be cancelled and we will provide a full refund.  No orders will be cancelled without multiple communication attempts.