2018 Passopisciaro Contrada Sciaranuova
Mt Etna, Italy
A bright and aromatic Nerello from the gravelly soils of the freshest Etna lava flow.
$145.00
Out of Stock
Pop me in Pseuds corner, maybe, but gee, this is a special sort of wine.
Gary Walsh (The Wine Front)
About This Wine
Passopisciaro produces six unique Nerello Mascalese wines, the idea being to showcase the profound differences in the terroir; lava flow, aspect, and altitude, of the various Contrada (single vineyards) that they work with.
Contrada Sciaranuova is located at 850 m (2,800 ft) above sea level on Mount Etna. In Sicilian, "sciara nuova" means "new lava flow." The vines here are planted on relatively new lava flow from the 1600s that has turned into thick gravel. This produces quite a rich wine, with beautiful aromatics.
So enticing; Mediterranean herbs, wild berries, and pretty rose notes on the nose, followed by a more elegant and tangy fruit spectrum on the palate, with of course the spice character so distinct in Etna Nerello. Integrated tannins and lively acidity round out this wine.
About Passopisciaro
In 2000, Andrea Franchetti found himself looking at the ruins of an ancient vineyard on the northern slopes of an active volcano in Sicily.
Taken with the rare combination of altitude and soils that Mount Etna offered, he, along with his contemporaries, set about rejuvenating these 100+-year-old vineyards. And slowly, piece by piece, the modern Etna wine scene was born.
The winery sits at in a spectacular setting at 1000m asl above the town of Passopisciaro. The focus in on the native grape Nerello Mascalese, of which they make six different iterations. Chardonnay, Petit Verdot, and Cesanese d’Affile are also planted.
Mount Etna, Italy
From The Producer
The vines are all between 70-100 years old, and the nerello harvest typically occurs at the end of October/early November. The wines undergo fermentation in steel vats, followed by malolactic and 18 months aging in large neutral oak barrels; this minimal intervention approach to winemaking allows the differences in terroir to shine.
Blend : Nerello Mascalese (100%)
ABV : 12.5%
Closure : Cork
Drink Until : 2030
Bottle Size : 750ml
Sicily, Italy
Critic Reviews
"The 2018 Contrada Sciaranuova (S) displays depths of wild strawberries and herbs complemented by hints of camphor and rosy florals. It’s silky and pliant in feel, contrasted by salty mineral notes and tart red berry fruits. Sweet tannins come forward but don’t get in the way as the Sciaranuova finishes remarkably pretty, mixing inner violet notes with a subtle twang of sour citrus. This is already showing quite well, but it would benefit from another year or two of cellaring." Eric Guido (Vinous)
"Spearmint, orange peel, strawberry, almost a Japanese ginger spice. It’s light, fresh and fragrant, distinct ‘volcanic rocks’ sort of character, saline and dusty, all the amaro and dried herb stuff, but also cool, lacy and pure. Almost alpine Nebbiolo in character, in a way, and seems born from a distinct place and time. Pop me in Pseuds corner, maybe, but gee, this is a special sort of wine." - Gary Walsh (The Wine Front)
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