Idda Contrada Stella Etna Bianco DOP 2024 750ml

IDDA is the Mount Etna partnership of Angelo Gaja and Alberto Graci, launched in 2017 with vineyards in Belpasso and Biancavilla on the volcano's southern flanks. Its name means "she" in Sicilian dialect, the endearing way Sicilians refer to Etna. Contrada Stella is a single-vineyard Etna Bianco, first made in 2024. The one-hectare site lies in Biancavilla at about 820 metres, the highest point of the estate, and the name, drawn from a historic local place name, evokes a vineyard sitting close to the stars. Its deep, mineral-rich soils of silt, clay and volcanic sand come from the lava flows of the ancient Ellittico volcano and are among the oldest on Etna. The wine is pure Carricante, fermented and aged in large oak casks for 18 months. The 2024 vintage was very dry, with a cold winter, a warm spring and a hot summer that brought harvest forward by around two weeks, giving wines rich in aroma and minerality. Contrada Stella shows floral notes of violet and rose with liquorice and a lemony citrus edge. The palate opens with saline freshness and builds to a firm, long finish marked by a distinctive note of blood orange. Vintages may vary. Email us at hello@barrelandbatch.com.au if you would like confirmation.