Gaudensius Blanc de Blancs
⏳ Drinking Window
2021 - 2025
🍽️ Food & Wine Pairings
raw oysters, seafood risotto, vegetable tempura
✨ Technical Specifications
Crafted from the indigenous Carricante grape grown on the high-altitude slopes of Mount Etna, Firriato's Gaudensius Blanc de Blancs is a testament to Sicilian volcanic viticulture. The vines thrive in the mineral-rich, dark volcanic soils of the Cavanera Etnea estate, where dramatic diurnal temperature shifts preserve the grape's natural acidity and aromatic intensity. Produced using the Metodo Classico (traditional method), this sparkling wine undergoes secondary fermentation in the bottle and is aged on its lees for a minimum of 32 months. The name 'Gaudensius' evokes a sense of joy and celebration, reflecting the vibrant, festive nature of this refined sparkling wine. It showcases a brilliant straw-yellow hue with a fine, persistent perlage, delivering complex aromas of citrus blossom, white peach, brioche, and a distinct flinty minerality characteristic of its volcanic origin.
🍾 About the Producer
Established in 1984 by Salvatore Di Gaetano and Vinzia Novara, Firriato has grown to become an architectural pillar of contemporary Sicilian viticulture. The estate stewards hundreds of hectares across Sicily's most ecologically distinct macro-zones: the sun-drenched, clay-limestone hills of the Trapani countryside (such as Baglio Sorìa and Borgo Guarini), the maritime Quaternary calcarenites of Favignana Island, and the high-elevation volcanic sands of Cavanera Etnea on Mount Etna. Viticulture is entirely certified organic and managed under a pioneering zero-carbon-impact philosophy. In the cellar, temperature-controlled stainless steel vinification preserves high-toned aromatic freshness, tension, and native varietal typicity before selective maturation in stainless steel or neutral wood. Firriato's white wine portfolio champions indigenous and naturalized cultivars—predominantly Grillo, Catarratto, and Zibibbo—yielding benchmark expressions like the saline, maritime-influenced Favinia La Muciara, the organic Caeles series, the floral Jasmin, and the radiant, naturally sun-dried Favinia Passule.
🍇 Grapes
Carricante
🍷 ABV
12% - 12.5%