2019 Passopisciaro "Contrada Sciaranuova", IGT Terre Sicila, Sicily, Italy

ABOUT THIS WINE:

Contrada Sciaranuova is located at 850m a.s.l. The name means "new casting" in Sicilian, indicating the recent geological age of the casting formed just 400 years ago. North slopes of Etna volcano – contrada Sciaranuova – Randazzo, Catania – Sicily; volcanic formations that are between 40,000 and 4,000 years old. Aged in 25hl oak Slavonian barrels and in 300 lt French oak barrels for 12 months.

ABOUT THIS PRODUCER:

In 2000 Andrea Franchetti decided to restore an old farm and cellars on the slopes of Mount Etna, an active volcano in northeastern Sicily. The winery sits at about a thousand meters of altitude above the small wine town of Passopisciaro in the district of Castiglione di Sicilia, on the northern slope of the volcano. His first task was to clear and restore long-abandoned terraces of ancient vines on the northern slopes of the mountain, replanting at a density of 12,000 vines per hectare on thin lavic soil. His arrival on Etna helped to initiate the renaissance of viticulture on the mountain and an international discovery of the wines of Etna. At Passopisciaro, he focuses on the native grape Nerello Mascalese and its various expressions of terroir and altitudes through a series of crus, as well as the varieties Chardonnay, Petit Verdot, and Cesanese d’Affile.