Tenuta di Passopisciaro - red 2013's and white 2014...

Now clearly I am biased here but I love these Passopisciaro wines from Sicily, from 100% Nerello Mascalese with the exception of the white that is 100% Chardonnay with no new oak.

The best way of thinking about these Wines, not in taste terms, but organisationally is to think of Passorosso as the village wine like Gervrey-Chambertin villages. Then the different sites or Contradas, as they are known, are like individual sites. Possibly with Chiappemacine as a lieu dit and the other Contradas as 1er Crus. It's simplistic and I dislike lazy analogies but it Works in this instance. So to the tasting:

Passorosso 2013 - Formerly know as Passopisciario, this is Italy and rules change every year. Really extrovert aromas jump from the glass, a dash of volatility but not at all problematic. Tangy red fruits with a little of darker fruit too. The aromas make one think of sweetness but there is a balancing citrus side also. 17   

Contrada Chiappemacine 2013 – A slight note of pencil shavings and graphite, more structure than Passo, quite mellow with good acidity. Less remarkable than the Passo. It could well be this is just a little muted but on this showing only 16.

Contrada Rampante 2013 – Lovely, more berry fruits and a little darker in character, expressive, sweetness and more volume, good herbal lift and that almost citrus tang. 17.5-18

Contrada Sciaranuova 2013 – Creamier texture, good freshness but rounder as a whole. Crisp red fruit and a herbal dimension. 17

Contrada Guardiola 2013 – Needed a bit of coaxing to come out of its shell but it did come forward. More tannin, more structure, the keeper of the bunch so far, still has the lift but this is tightly wound. 18

Contrada Porcaria 2013 – Nose is stunning. More succulent, more ripeness and as with Guardiola there is more volume and intensity here. There is a lovely slate like mineral finish. Impressive 18+

Passobianco 2014 – This was known as simply Guardiola Bianco until thsi year. It is a wine I buy every year, in fact I have just bought some more magnums of the 2013. This is so primary at this young stage, the palate is a lovely blend of fruit and soft minerality with a saline freshness…so moreish. 18

Tenuta di Passopisciaro - The Contradas 2012

Tenuta di Passopisciaro Contradas 2012

Having Andrea  Franchetti in town to talk through his wines from Sicily is always fascinating. Here we are talking about Nerello Macalese from the slopes of Mount Etna. The work Contrada means “cru” though technically they can’t be referred to as such.

Picked 6/7^th November

Passopisciaro 2012 – Andreas generic wine from Etna, from various different parcels and may include de-classified selections from the Contrada’s. Light colour and delicious fresh raspberry and strawberry fruit. Made in an almost white wine way and it shows. 16/20

Contrada Chiappemacine 2012 –A site near the river. Berry fruit and with some sweetness and fruitness also. Very good but not too defined stylistically. 17/20

Contrada Sciaranuova 2012 – A very high, 850ft site. Quite heady, more full more round, quite a bit of tannin and acidity…good all round really. 17.75/20

Contrada Guardiola – 900 ft up , this is an amphitheatre where the winery sits, deep gravel with 80-100 year old vines. Lovely nose, balance with a good fruit side as well as a very good savoury seriousness. 18/20.

 Contrada Rampante – The very highest site and picked 2 weeks later. More depth than some, red fruit still but generous roundness, a dash of grapefruit acidity. Good. 17.5

I am sure I have a picture but I just can't find it anywhere!!!