2024 I Custodi, Aedes, Etna Bianco

Salvo Foti spent decades arguing that Etna's ancient alberello vines and volcanic soils deserve the same serious attention as any grand cru in Europe. I Custodi is one of his most focused projects, and the Aedes is its purest expression of what the north slope can do.
Primarily Carricante with a portion of Catarratto, drawn from bush-trained vines in Contrada Moganazzi at 700 meters. Sandy volcanic soils, no malolactic fermentation, six months in stainless steel. The north slope runs cooler and later than the rest of the mountain, and that extra hang time is everything here: saline, vertical, with a chiseled mineral precision that makes it one of the more compelling whites coming off the volcano.