Idda Bianco Sicilia DOP 2024 is the white-wine expression of IDDA, the Mount Etna project founded by Angelo Gaja with local grower-winemaker Alberto Graci. The name “Idda” means “she” in Sicilian dialect, a direct nod to Etna itself. Although the fruit comes from Etna’s volcanic slopes (notably on the south and southwest sides around Biancavilla and Belpasso), the wine is labeled under the broader Sicilia DOC. It is 100% Carricante, bottled at a modest 12.5% alcohol.
Winemaking aims for precision and tension. As Monica Larner reports in *Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate*, the 2024 ferments mainly in stainless steel, with “20%” in “15-hectoliter oak casks,” and the team avoids making “much of a fuss” about malolactic fermentation. Graci tells her they bottle in May or June “to capture the energy of the grape.” Larner also links the wine’s shape to the season: “heat in summer, winds and steep diurnal shifts,” with a cooling fog called “acquazzina” and sea-cooled air helping maintain freshness.
Critically, this is an excellent vintage across publications. *Wine Enthusiast* awards 94 points—an especially strong review—calling it “marvelously savory and intensely saline,” adding that its “structure and substance…really stand out.” *Wine Advocate* (93) emphasizes the terroir-driven edge, describing it as “very mineral and salty,” with “direction, focus and linearity,” and a “longer lasting” profile than 2023. Eric Guido at *Vinous* (93) highlights the aromatics—“stone dust, dried herbs, incense and Asian pear”—followed by a “soft-textured and round” palate and a finish that “cleans up beautifully,” leaving “subtle saline concentration” and “tart citrus.” James Suckling (92) frames it as “fresh” and “peppery,” with “enjoyable texture and length,” suggesting it is already drinking well now.
Overall, expect a savory, saline-leaning Carricante that balances crisp, volcanic definition with enough mid-palate roundness to keep it versatile at the table.
