Description
Unique blend of Petit Verdot and Cesanese d’Affile grown in contrada Guardiola at 820 m asl. The winemaker’s interpretation of a full-bodied wine on Etna.
Specifications
60% Petit Verdot; 40% Cesanese d’Affile
October 22
15 years
2 Ha
12,300 vines/Ha
900 meters/2,900 feet above sea level
17 Hl/Ha
Propolis, clay, grapefruit seed extract
Fermentation in 30hl steel vats for 14 days
6 months in new French oak barriques and 14 months in large cement vessels
Waning moon of April 2018
4,000 bottles
The Producer
Andrea Franchetti arrived on Mt. Etna in 2000 and helped to initiate the renaissance of viticulture on the mountain and an international discovery of the region as a quality wine region. Franchetti makes eight different wines at his winery Passopisciaro, fewer than 8,000 total cases annually. Etna is the highest active volcano in Europe, given to relatively frequent lava spills. These spills devastate the landscape, yet each flow leaves a unique mineral profile, giving rise to the notion of various terroirs, here called Contrade. The borders of the Contrade reflect old feudal property lines, which are still mapped out on the local land registry. As Passopisciaro, we respect and play to the strengths of the terroir on Etna, producing wines of remarkable complexity and individual personality.
More on their website.
Ratings and Awards
96+ pts. Wine Advocate – 2017
92 pts. Wine Enthusiast – 2017
94 pts. Wine Advocate – 2016
98+ pts. Vinous Media – 2016
92 pts. Wine Spectator -2016
97 pts. International Wine Review – 2012; Top 100 Wines of 2017