PRODUCT OVERVIEW:
Mt. Etna is Europe's most active live volcano and rises 11,014 feet above the sea. Andrea Franchetti arrived there in 2000 and helped to initiate the renaissance of viticulture on the mountain, which brought international interest to the region. One of the first incomers to see the potential of the ancient lava-strewn vineyards on the flanks of Etna, he was also among the first to recognize the potential of individual terroirs composed of distinct lava flows.*

Franchetti's Passopisciaro winery sits at about 3200 feet above the small wine town of the same name on the northern slope of the volcano. A real innovator, he is credited with putting no fewer than two Italian fine-wine regions on the map. Franchetti had also previously created a Tuscan wine estate in the Val d’Orcia on the border of Lazio and Umbria in a vast, open valley overlooked by Monte Amiata by planting cuttings from Bordeaux. His first vintage of wine at this estate in 1997, named the Tenuta di Trinoro, made him an instant success.*

Instead of​ working with​ ​Etna's​ indigenous ​white wine varietal known as ​carricante,​ ​Franchetti, inspired by the great wines of Burgundy, believed that chardonnay and Sicily could achieve greatness together. His instincts were spot-on: chardonnay is the conduit that allows Etna's terroir - its altitude, wide diurnal temperature variations, and lava-rich soil - to meld and evolve over time as the wine ages. Franchetti's first vintage ​of Etna Bianco ​was in 2007, and beginning with the 2014 vintage, ​he decided to let the wine spend two years in the bottle at the winery before release.*

Check out the press!
92 points, Wine Advocate:
“A pure expression of chardonnay, the Passopisciaro Vini Franchetti 2018 Passobianco is a generous wine with lots of honey, dried apricot, and apple baked in butter. Ultimately, this expression from the volcanic soils of Etna stands apart from other great renditions of this versatile grape thanks to those dusty or ashy mineral notes as well as those slightly exotic hints of saffron and ground cumin. It is aged in oak casks and cement for 10 months. The wine’s appearance is golden and bright, and the palate carries generous fruit weight and concentrated flavors. Grapes come from high-density vineyards at an impressive 850 to 1,000 meters in elevation from the terraces of Contrada Guardiola and Monte Dolce. Some 40,000 bottles were made. Drink 2021-2026.”

PRODUCT DETAILS:
Producer Name: Passopisciaro
Old/New World: Old World
Country of Origin: Italy
Region: Sicily
Sub-Region: Mt.Etna
Grape Varietals: 100% Chardonnay
Vintage: 2018
Product Type: Wine
Wine Style: Fuller Body White
Viticultural Features: steep terraces between 850 and 1,000 meters in the contrada of Guardiola, in very loose, deep, powder-like lava that is high in minerals.
Winemaking Techniques: fermented in steel and aged partly in cement and large oak barrels. The wine then passes two years in bottle at the winery before release.
Winemaker: Andrea Franchetti with Team Passopisciaro
Pack/Size: 12/750
Container Type: Burgundy-style bottle
Closure Style: cork