Alta Mora (Cusumano) 2024 Etna Bianco DOC 750ml

It was a lifelong dream for brothers Diego and Alberto Cusumano to build a winery among the black, fertile volcanic soils of Mount Etna. After years of searching, the opportunity arrived in April 2013: the first three contrade on the volcano's northern slope came available, and the brothers seized it, beginning with the reconstruction of the traditional dry stone terrace walls of Guardiola — the contrada whose stunning beauty gave the entire project its name. Alta Mora — "high black" — now works across five contrade on Etna's north side, and the estate has become one of the region's most consistently well-reviewed producers, working with the mountain's two defining native varieties: Nerello Mascalese for red and rosé, Carricante for white.

The Etna Bianco is built entirely from Carricante — Etna's great indigenous white grape, espalier-trained across roughly eight hectares split between two specific sites: Contrada Praino, on the south-facing slope near Milo, and Contrada Verzella, on the cooler ground near Castiglione di Sicilia, where the freshness of the land allows the Carricante to reach full ripeness without losing its aromatic precision. Both sites sit around 600 meters above sea level. Grapes are hand-harvested entirely in the second ten days of October — a late picking date typical of high-altitude Etna fruit — then gently pressed, fermented in stainless steel at 18-20°C, and left on fine lees for four months before a further period of bottle refinement.

Falstaff awarded the 2024 vintage 92 Points, finding "bright, intense straw yellow with green reflections. Williams pear and fresh herbs on the nose, reminiscent of rosemary and thyme and a hint of pepper. Great interplay between juice and spice on the palate, harmonious structure, lingering finish." Other retailers describe a bouquet of yellow citrus fruits, white flowers, wild fennel, and flint, with a crisp, taut, electric acidity and a beautifully defined crystalline texture — green apple, grapefruit, and fresh mint carried through to a signature salty, tension-filled mineral finish that speaks directly to the wine's high-altitude volcanic terroir. This is Etna Bianco at its most precise: smoky, mineral, herbaceous, and unmistakably a product of black lava soil.

Origins & Craftsmanship

Alta Mora is the Cusumano family's dedicated Etna project, founded in April 2013 when brothers Diego and Alberto Cusumano — already established Sicilian producers — acquired the first three contrade on Mount Etna's northern slope after years of searching for the right opportunity. The project began with the painstaking reconstruction of the traditional dry stone terrace walls of Guardiola, the contrada whose beauty and inspiration gave the entire estate its name. Alta Mora has since expanded to work across five contrade on the mountain's north side.

The Etna Bianco is produced entirely from Carricante, Etna's principal native white grape, espalier-trained across approximately eight hectares split between two distinct sites at roughly 600 meters elevation: Contrada Praino, on the south-facing slope of Milo, and Contrada Verzella, on the cooler ground of Castiglione di Sicilia, whose specific freshness allows the Carricante to achieve full ripeness while preserving its natural aromatic character. Both sites sit on deep, black lava-derived volcanic soils, where altitude, sea breezes, and soil structure combine to produce the variety's distinctive minerality and lightness. Grapes are entirely hand-harvested in the second ten days of October. Following a light pneumatic pressing, static decanting, and racking, the must ferments in stainless steel at 18-20°C and remains in the same containers on its fine lees for four months, followed by additional refinement in bottle before release. No oak is used at any stage — a deliberate choice to preserve the variety's natural freshness and let the volcanic terroir speak directly.

Critics Reviews

Falstaff — 92 Points (2024 vintage):
"Bright, intense straw yellow with green reflections. Williams pear and fresh herbs on the nose, reminiscent of rosemary and thyme and a hint of pepper. Great interplay between juice and spice on the palate, harmonious structure, lingering finish."

Tasting Profile

Nose
Bright, intense straw yellow with green reflections — a color of genuine freshness that reflects the wine's stainless-steel-only production. Williams pear and fresh herbs open the nose, reminiscent of rosemary and thyme with a hint of pepper. Yellow citrus fruits, white flowers, and wild fennel add layered aromatic complexity, alongside a distinct hint of flint and smoke — the volcanic soil's most direct aromatic signature.

Palate
Crisp and bright at entry, with taut, electric acidity and a beautifully defined, crystalline texture. Great interplay between juice and spice carries through a harmonious, structured palate. Green apple, grapefruit, and fresh mint layer through the mid-palate, framed by a savory trail that continues into the close.

Finish
Long and lingering, with a signature salty, tension-filled mineral character that showcases the wine's high-altitude volcanic terroir directly. Smoky, stony, and persistent — a finish that confirms this as genuine, terroir-transparent Etna Bianco.

Quick Overview

Food Pairings

• Fresh seafood and shellfish
• Raw fish — sashimi and crudo
• Grilled or poached white fish
• Summer salads with capers
• Spaghetti alle vongole or pasta con le sarde