Benanti Il Monovitigno Nerello Mascalese Sicilia, Sicily, Italy

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The estate’s 2001 Nerello Mascalese is another lovely bottle. It has acquired early tertiary notes of leather, tobacco and menthol that complement its core of perfumed fruit. Silky tannins add a further measure of elegance to this noble, pure wine of exquisite grace. Anticipated maturity: 2008-2011. Benanti is making some of the most compelling wines coming out of Sicily’s re-discovered Mount Etna appellation. These dramatic, old vines are grown on the slopes of the volcano and offer plenty of site-specific character. Most of the wines are made from indigenous varieties although international grapes are used in a few of the reds. I can’t add much more, except to urge readers to discover the extraordinary wines of Benanti.Importer: JA-AR Imports, Ltd., Stellar Cellars, East Brunswick, NJ; tel. (732) 762-9524

It takes a certain amount of courage to import an obscure indigenous grape like Nerello Mascalese and expect a foreign market to appreciate it. If you’re up for tasting something new, prepare yourself for deep mineral, currant and toasted almond flavors. Although this wine is less complex than the estate’s blended wines, it does paint a clear picture of the variety. Imported by Vino Bravo. ——M.L.(7/1/2006)—— 87