Andrea Franchetti, undaunted by molten rock, was one of the first to plant on the perilous slopes of Mount Etna. An eruption in 1947 demarcated the core of the property, which is now bordered at its upper limit by a ridge of black gravel, the cooled remains of that lava spill. Andrea established the estate in 2000 and has since turned it into one the region’s stars, as well as a global proponent of just what can be achieved on volcanic soils
"100% Nerello Mascalese. Pale ruby: you could be forgiven for thinking this Pinot Noir from the colour. Delicate redberried aromas – so far so Pinot – but with a ferrous, darkly mineral aspect which is somehow instinctively Italian. The palate is finely chiselled on the entry, pretty raspberry fruit quickly giving way to firm tannins and an overwhelming dark rockiness. Balancing glycerol and alcohol.
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Nerello Mascalese
ABV 14.0%
Drink now 2019 - 2025
Cork
Dry
Vegan
“Volcanic Mount Etna produces some dreamy reds, including this absolutely delicious 2016 from the Passopisciaro estate. Made exclusively from the nerello mascalese grape, it's a rich, juicy, red-berry-fruit mouthful, with velvety tannins and a fine rocky, minerally finish.”
It is hard to imagine a more exciting or varied wine-producing country than Italy. With a vibrant winemaking history spanning over 2,000 years, and vineyards stretching from the Alps through the Appenine mountains to Sicily, the Italian peninsula is home to an enormous range of climates, topographies and soil typeshosting hundreds of distinctive grapes unique to Italy.
