Vintner Andrea Franchetti (a Tuscan interloper on Mt. Etna) has successful managed that difficult balance between power and elegance. This gorgeous wine is pure, direct, focused and sharp with pretty berry and floral notes backed by smoky volcanic impulses. The wine exudes richness and opulence, but not in an exaggerated way.
— M.L.
(12/1/2009)
Passopisciaro is the name of a tiny town on the slopes of Mount Etna in the heart of the volcano’s most celebrated wine area. Tuscan nobleman Andrea Franchetti bought property here many years ago and now leads a charge for quality wines from this unique site in southern Italy. His expression is nuanced and complex, with firmly polished tannins and bright end notes…
— M.L.
(4/1/2012)
From Etna’s beautiful Guardiola cru, this unoaked Chardonnay delivers fantastically fresh aromas of mountain herbs, tomato leaf, citrus and peach. It’s a sophisticated and intriguing wine thanks to the mineral and brimstone notes that appear on the tail end.
— M.L.
(12/1/2009)