Franchetti 2005 Sicilia IGT - Passopisciaro

Franchetti 2005 – Passopisciaro

Franchetti is the most ambitious wine of Passopisciaro, the winery that Andrea Franchetti, already the creator of Tenuta di Trinoro in the Val d'Orcia, founded on the northern slope of Etna in the early 2000s. In an area dominated by Nerello Mascalese, he set out to make something completely different: a dense, concentrated red from grapes nobody grew on Etna.

The wine combines Petit Verdot and Cesanese d'Affile, an ancient Lazio variety then almost forgotten, densely planted in contrada Guardiola at around 1,000 metres on volcanic rock and sand. Very low yields in the vineyard and ageing in new French oak. The proportions change each year according to how the vineyards perform.

2005 is the first vintage of Franchetti, by now a historic and rare label. Twenty years after harvest the wine has evolved: ripe dark fruit, pepper, spice, balsamic and earthy notes, with Cesanese bringing perfume and Petit Verdot structure. A bottle for collectors and the curious, to open with game or braised meats.

At a glance: Petit Verdot 60%, Cesanese d'Affile 40% · 15.5% ABV · 0.75 l · Tenuta di Trinoro, Sicily