Winemaker Notes
Passopisciaro’s flagship wine is a captivating blend of Petit Verdot and Cesanese d’Affile, grown on the rocky, volcanic soil of Contrada Guardiola. Originating from vineyards situated at an impressive elevation of up to 1,000 meters above sea level, this wine boasts an unparalleled concentration, expressing itself with a full-bodied character and dense tannins. However, the wine’s structure is beautifully balanced by a distinct mineral freshness and an array of spice aromatics. The wine’s appearance is a light and bright ruby red, while the nose is elegant and deep, revealing scents of small red fruits, cherries in alcohol, licorice, black pepper, and forest spices. On the palate, the wine is structured, full-bodied, expressive, and remarkably fresh, with a pronounced mineral character. The tannins are dense yet well-integrated, contributing to the wine’s overall complexity and harmony.
Blend: 97% Petit Verdot, 3% Cesanese d’Affile
Professional Ratings
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Decanter
Franchetti is something completely different on Etna. First released in the 2005 vintage, Andrea Franchetti (master of doing things his own way) aimed to express the terroir of Contrada Guardiola (at 820m) in a full-bodied wine. Vinified in steel vats, the blend of Petit Verdot and Cesanese d'Affile – a nearly extinct variety he rescued from Lazio – is then matured in French oak barrels for six months followed by a further 12 months in cement vats. Stunning aromatics – perfumed, super-floral scents of violets, lavender, summer meadow flowers and macerated red fruits, with some curranty notes in the background. Concentrated and tannic, with a silky mouthfeel amongst the grainy tannins, and red-fruited acidity, this is a sculpted wine which shows the sapidity developed from these soils. Flavours reminiscent of blueberry jam are backed by liquorice, sweet milk chocolate and dried herbs. This packs a punch, but remains super-fresh in the mouth. Wow! At around £80 a bottle, it's surprisingly good ‘value’ given the quality on offer.
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James Suckling
A crazy blend of cesanese and petit verdot (70%) with very spicy aromas of crushed cloves and black pepper with some Chinese spices. Full-bodied, with fine tannins that run through the wine. Lots of fruit but still fluid and balanced. Juicy wine. Drink or hold.
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Wine Spectator
A juicy core of mulberry, blueberry and black cherry fruit is tightly meshed to taut, fine-grained tannins in this rich, mouthwatering red. Medium- to full-bodied and expressive, with wild herb, dried violet and lavender, milled pepper and anise notes echoing on the plush finish. Petit Verdot and Cesanese. Drink now through 2034. 316 cases made, 90 cases imported.
With hundreds of red grape varieties to choose from, winemakers have the freedom to create a virtually endless assortment of blended red wines. In many European regions, strict laws are in place determining the set of varieties that may be used, but in the New World, experimentation is permitted and encouraged resulting in a wide variety of red wine styles. Blending can be utilized to enhance balance or create complexity, lending different layers of flavors and aromas. For example, a red wine blend variety that creates a fruity and full-bodied wine would do well combined with one that is naturally high in acidity and tannins. Sometimes small amounts of a particular variety are added to boost color or aromatics. Blending can take place before or after fermentation, with the latter, more popular option giving more control to the winemaker over the final qualities of the wine.
How to Serve Red Wine
A common piece of advice is to serve red wine at “room temperature,” but this suggestion is imprecise. After all, room temperature in January is likely to be quite different than in August, even considering the possible effect of central heating and air conditioning systems. The proper temperature to aim for is 55° F to 60° F for lighter-bodied reds and 60° F to 65° F for fuller-bodied wines.
How Long Does Red Wine Last?
Once opened and re-corked, a bottle stored in a cool, dark environment (like your fridge) will stay fresh and nicely drinkable for a day or two. There are products available that can extend that period by a couple of days. As for unopened bottles, optimal storage means keeping them on their sides in a moderately humid environment at about 57° F. Red wines stored in this manner will stay good – and possibly improve – for anywhere from one year to multiple decades. Assessing how long to hold on to a bottle is a complicated science. If you are planning long-term storage of your reds, seek the advice of a wine professional.
A large, geographically and climatically diverse island, just off the toe of Italy, Sicily has long been recognized for its fortified Marsala wines. But it is also a wonderful source of diverse, high quality red and white wines. Steadily increasing in popularity over the past few decades, Italy’s fourth largest wine-producing region is finally receiving the accolades it deserves and shining in today's global market.
Though most think of the climate here as simply hot and dry, variations on this sun-drenched island range from cool Mediterranean along the coastlines to more extreme in its inland zones. Of particular note are the various microclimates of Europe's largest volcano, Mount Etna, where vineyards grow on drastically steep hillsides and varying aspects to the Ionian Sea. The more noteworthy red and white Sicilian wines that come from the volcanic soils of Mount Etna include Nerello Mascalese and Nerello Cappuccio (reds) and Carricante (whites). All share a racy streak of minerality and, at their best, bear resemblance to their respective red and white Burgundies.
Nero d’Avola is the most widely planted red variety, and is great either as single varietal bottling or in blends with other indigenous varieties or even with international ones. For example, Nero d'Avola is blended with the lighter and floral, Frappato grape, to create the elegant, Cerasuolo di Vittoria, one of the more traditional and respected Sicilian wines of the island.
Grillo and Inzolia, the grapes of Marsala, are also used to produce aromatic, crisp dry Sicilian white. Pantelleria, a subtropical island belonging to the province of Sicily, specializes in Moscato di Pantelleria, made from the variety locally known as Zibibbo.