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| Drinking Windows and Values |
| Community Tasting History |
| Community Tasting Notes (average 90.7 pts. and median of 91 pts. in 126 notes) - hiding notes with no text | | | Tasted by rmalloy on 4/12/2022 & rated 92 points: Good, legit. (1043 views) | | | Tasted by Winiac on 2/28/2022 & rated 92 points: Well developed secondary and tertiary flavors, yet has solid structure and remains fresh. Impressive (996 views) | | | Tasted by hargy on 4/16/2021 & rated 91 points: the last of my bottles and delicious it was too - this is coming to the end of its life but with style (1501 views) | | | Tasted by rsbeck on 12/16/2020 & rated 92 points: Popped, poured, consumed over next two hours. Medium bodied. Lovely balance. Performed well from start to finish. (1644 views) | | | Tasted by itadome on 9/19/2020: Had three bottles over the last couple of weeks. As others have noted, it is on its way down. Found a substantial bottle variation (rating varying from 88 to 91+) . Even the best of the three felt a touch less round than the previous ones I had a year or more back. Will drink quickly the last three bottles I have. (1708 views) | | | Tasted by hargy on 5/14/2020 & rated 90 points: two bottles from the same case - the first with the colour, bouquet and taste of old sweet port and not rated, the other was pale and translucent, certainly mature but quite a lovely wine for food (1262 views) | | | Tasted by ron m on 3/11/2020: Not as impressive as the previous bottle. Solid but pretty ho-hum and not much intrigue. Tannins mostly resolved. (1232 views) | | | Tasted by der Schmecker on 11/14/2019 & rated 91 points: First taste of the Nerello Mascalese grape varietal. I'm a fan of Petite Syrah, so I was curious. Deep red-purple color with tears of wine down the side of the glass. Strong yet elegant wine with no sense of alcohol, meaning not at all hot to the taste, but definitely potent. Dry which does not mean flat. A wine of substance. (1077 views) | | | Tasted by hargy on 9/22/2019: has seen much better days- full of sediment and with the look of old port - the 2007 drunk alongside is very much alive - the drinking dates for the two wines should be exchanged! (1051 views) | | | Tasted by EhrlichDY on 9/1/2019: Popped my last bottle as a recent bottle was flawed and wanted to take a shot at this to see if it was any better. Great acidity and freshness coupled with pillowy texture. Mature and earthy but certainly correct. I would have to recommend that anyone that owns this wine put it in the drink queue. (965 views) | | | Tasted by EhrlichDY on 8/2/2019 flawed bottle: Lots of sediment and browning at the edges. Funky, autumnal, and over the hill. Hard to believe this wine is over the hill already. Stored perfectly and the cork was is great shape but still must have failed somewhere along the way. Oh well. (956 views) | | | Tasted by marcelk on 7/19/2019: Hasn't aged well, heading towards vinegar. (936 views) | | | Tasted by rnellans on 1/5/2019 & rated 90 points: This wine started out nice. No hint of oxidation. Red fruits, spice....Good acid...however with some air oxidative notes and xs ripeness took over that were very off putting. Perhaps an off bottle. (1220 views) | | | Tasted by SandmanRT on 12/8/2018 & rated 93 points: A complex and enjoyable wine with fruit well integrated with tannins and could well age more if necessary but drinks well now at age ten and open since yesterday. There is a Barolo-like flavour in this and there are plums and earthy qualities too. Bold enough for braised meats or aged cheeses. (1059 views) | | | Tasted by thebonnydooner on 10/20/2018 & rated 91 points: Bright and bold. For sure gains depth and complexity with every minute open. At first this was more like a pinot in depth but after and hour behaved more like a syrah. Weight of a ripe Barolo, but similar tannic profile and acidity. Flavours more currant, red cherry and red plum, overall interesting and delicious. Drinking about peak, there was a definite hint of brown on the rim. (1099 views) | | | Tasted by rnellans on 9/18/2018 & rated 93 points: Rich , dark fruits. Lots of extract. Slightly ripe. Tannins need to smooth out. Excellent potential with a few more years in the cellar. (1308 views) | | | Tasted by Mr T on 5/17/2018: One (buy) and done here. Doesn't do anything for me (1670 views) | | | Tasted by Fugu Me on 2/25/2018: PnP. I clearly should have read wine_strategies' note on this, as the wine continued to open up over the course of a couple of hours. Regardless, it was elegant and gorgeous, and I'm a bit sad that this was my last bottle of the 2008. (1725 views) | | | Tasted by MotoMannequin on 12/11/2017: Pop-n-pour light ruby color with hints of garnet around the edges. Funky nose of cherries, roses, spearmint, and leather. The wine has some slight spritz, which I pull out using a Vacuvin. On the palate it's light-bodied, with sour cherry and rhubarb notes, slight barnyard. Tannins are well resolved and the finish is all about mouth-watering acidity. Nice wine reaching maturity about now. (2322 views) | | | Tasted by lolo66 on 6/13/2017: compared to my last bottle 3 years ago, this has developed and the shrilly acidity has been resolved into the fruit. Showing excellent depth and ready to drink. (2631 views) | | | Tasted by Tim Heaton on 1/22/2017: Found one hidden in the cellar, two years after my last note, but I did little to help it show its best - this needs at least 90 minutes of air before it really begins to open up. As it was, it was a nice, pretty companion to pizza and pasta, but not much more. I could have aerated this to decanter but I didn't - call it lazy, or stupid, whatever, but I goofed - don't make the same mistake, let this shine, give it air. Enough structure and balance that this can carry on (in 750ml) for a least 5 more years, with good upside potential as the (very early) tertiary notes become more developed. highly recommended
PnP, served non-blind; held since release.
https://italianwine.blog/ (3374 views) | | | Tasted by vintage_whine on 11/27/2016: Dried red florals, dried red strawberry and cherry and firm tannins that seem to have not moved in the last few years. ample acidity. I kept on thinking I was drinking a form of mid evolution nebbiolo throughout the evening (2784 views) | | | Tasted by forceberry on 5/11/2016 & rated 90 points: Fermented and macerated for 2 weeks in stainless steel. Aged for 18-20 months in 3000 and 5000-liter neutral oak barrels. Total production 30,000 bottles.
Luminous, translucent raspberry red color that turns to almost colorless towards the rim. Very rich, youthful and somewhat alcohol-driven nose with bold aromas of juicy dark berries, ripe black cherries, some roasted spices, a little bit of toasty pastry character and a hint of perfumed floral tones. The wine is surprisingly full-bodied and concentrated on the palate for a Passopisciaro with lots of ripeness and some sense of extraction. The wine feels quite powerful with intense flavors of sour cherry bitterness, sweet strawberries, ripe red cherries, a little bit of plummy dark fruits, a little bit of smoky minerality and a hint of tart lingonberry. Overall the wine comes across pretty structured and muscular, but atypically for a Passopisciaro, the structure seems to rely more on the firm medium-plus tannins than on the medium-to-moderately high acidity. The finish is lively, youthful and somewhat warm with ripe and pretty long flavors of bitter sour cherries, tart cranberries, some sweeter strawberry and black cherry tones, a little bit of crunchy redcurrants and a touch of peppery spice.
A big and concentrated powerhouse of a Passopisciaro that seems to be less about the crunchy, playful style of the older vintages and more about power and ripeness, as in vintages like 2006 and 2009. In a vertical tasting, the vintage 2006 felt quite big and ripe for a Passopisciaro, but this 2008 is even bigger. It doesn't feel particularly clumsy, too heavy or cumbersome, but the style feels quite distinctive. However, the wine is also very youthful still, so perhaps it will lose some of its baby fat as it gets older, becoming lither and more refined in the process. An impressive and enjoyable wine, but doesn't reach the levels of the best Passopisciaros - at least for now. Might get much better with enough age. (1003 views) | | | Tasted by John Nezlek on 5/8/2016 & rated 86 points: Note: I use a rating scale on which 85 represents a very good wine.
A bit from memory. Did not impress me as it did some others. Certainly a very good wine, but nothing outstanding. Don't know if I am/was able to pick out the particular tastes of Etna. (3578 views) | | | Tasted by PatMatt on 4/19/2016 & rated 92 points: 2008 is probably the best vintage ever in Etna area and made this wine,
Just fantastic ! (3682 views) | | | Only displaying the 25 most recent notes - click to see all notes for this wine... |
| By Jancis Robinson, MW
JancisRobinson.com (10/30/2013)
(Passopisciaro IGT Sicilia Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By Jancis Robinson, MW
JancisRobinson.com (9/26/2013)
(Passopisciaro IGT Sicilia Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By Mike Bennie
The WINEFRONT (4/26/2011)
(Passopisciaro) Subscribe to see review text. | By Ian D'Agata
Vinous, March/April 2011, IWC Issue #155
(Passopisciaro Passopisciaro Etna Rosso) Subscribe to see review text. | By Antonio Galloni
Vinous, The Best of Central and Southern Italy (Jun 2010)
(Passopisciaro Passopisciaro) Subscribe to see review text. | By Jon Rimmerman
Garagiste (6/30/2010)
(PASSOPISCIARO) Passopisciaro Dear Friends, Timing is everything. A few weeks ago, as a foil to the idiosyncratic Cornelissen offers of late, I scheduled the 2008 Passopisciaro (Etna) for Friday morning... ...now all bets are off. I’ve been notified that our allocation is a “now or never” proposition (due to today’s Wine Advocate) so here we go... Mt. Etna produces a number of different styles, from the eccentric and traditional to the quasi-modern. Andrea Franchetti (Trinoro) produces an Etna rosso that is a unique combination of all three with a myriad of old-school elements and a mouthfeel that’s like drinking pure Burgundian satin (Barbaresco comes to mind as well). With aromatics that stay with you well into the night and an overall character that clings to the memory like a weightless encounter with nobility, the 2008 vintage takes this cuvee to a rarified level. Feminine and full of a certain breed, this is a special wine that only requires a few effortless drips on the tongue to transport the taster to a place very far from Kansas. Not only is every unforced element here in spades but the price-tag encourages zealous consumption: VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED for Burgundian presence and a lava-strewn/mineral swathed persona that could only come from Mt. Etna. ONE SHIPMENT ONLY directly from the winery cellar: 2008 Passopisciaro (Etna) - (compare at $40+) FIRST COME FIRST SERVED up to 12/person until we run out To order: niki@garagistewine.com This parcel is set to depart from Etna – it will arrive in the late summer (please check OARS for local pick up after Aug 1st). It will ship during the Fall shipping season. Out of state orders will be held for free under ideal storage conditions (56 degrees/70%humidity) until shipping is possible. Locals may pick up at their leisure. For current local pick up and arrival/ship information, please see your OARS link below (at the bottom of this offer) - don’t know how to access your OARS? Simply click the link and see your account. You can also paste the link into your browser. If you are having trouble with your link or your account, please contact: support@garagistewine.com NO SALES TO RETAILERS OR WHOLESALERS Thank you, Jon Rimmerman Garagiste Seattle, WA Italy5899 Click here to view the status of your orders in O.A.R.S. |
NOTE: Scores and reviews are the property of JancisRobinson.com and The WINEFRONT and Vinous and Garagiste. (manage subscription channels) |
| Passopisciaro Producer website
Source: VinConnect (VinConnect.com)
About Passopisciaro
Passopisciaro sits high atop an old volcanic flow on the northern slope of Mount Etna, Europe’s largest active volcano, on the island of Sicily. It was acquired by the Tuscan visionary Andrea Franchetti in 2000 who then proceeded to restore its old farm, cellars, and terraced vineyards across the face of the volcano. Passopisciaro’s vineyards are located in various contradas, or crus, between 1,800-3,600 feet above sea level, and its microclimate is almost alpine with intense sunlight and drastic temperature shifts between day and night. The growing season often stretches into November. The soil is comprised of various types of volcanic ash which, combined with the diffused light, diurnal shifts, and varying altitudes, creates a highly unique growing environment for wine. Viticulture and winemaking here have extremely ancient origins, with the first written reports dating from the third century BC, yet Franchetti’s arrival on Etna helped to initiate the renaissance of quality viticulture on the mountain. According to Jancis Robinson, “the Etna wine revolution began with 2001, the first vintage for Passopisciaro, a small estate founded on ancient, high-altitude vines by Andrea Franchetti.”
Around the winery, located in the contrada of Guardiola, Franchetti decided to plant a small amount of the varieties Petit Verdot and Cesanese d’Affile at a density of 12,000 vines per hectare on thin lavic soil to produce his flagship wine at the estate, aptly named Franchetti. The blend varies with each vintage, and while rare, the result is sometimes a 100% Petit Verdot, as in 2006 and 2010. On Etna, due to the volcanic soil, Petit Verdot becomes more peppery and spicy, leaner and stiffer in body. Cesanese d’Affile, a grape from Lazio that Franchetti first planted in Tuscany, is a more gentle, aromatic counter to the structure of the Petit Verdot, although it has great aging potential. The wine represents Franchetti’s attempt to create a completely different wine on Etna, more evocative of the thick plumes of smoke the volcano emits than the lighter, indigenous variety Nerello Mascalese. In addition to this proprietary blend, Franchetti also produces an elegant, mineral-driven Chardonnay Guardiola Bianco and a series of six wines that express the effects of different altitudes and lava flows on the local grape Nerello Mascalese: Passopisciaro Rosso and five individual Contrada wines.
In addition to Passopisciaro, Andrea Franchetti also owns another unique winery—Tenuta di Trinoro, located in the confluence of southern Tuscany, Lazio, and Umbria. The wines of both estates are astounding examples of the benefits of the relentless pursuit of quality and distinctiveness in extreme growing environments.2008 Passopisciaro PassopisciaroViticulturally, the 08 vintage starts in 07 when vines had come to November unstressed from a tempered year and ready to enter the winter’s rest well-nourished. There then was good fertilizing from repeated snowfalls on the mountain, and the hot three months of July, August and September were not able to stress the plants enough to stop their quick passing through growing and ripening stages; some tiredness from the dried soils came in October, but rains were already at the horizon, and carried water in just the right quantity. They made the year a great vintage, with us picking continuously from the 23rd to the end of the month.
Passopisciaro 2008 is made with a large proportion of grapes coming from parcels that lay at mid-mountain, where we have parcels in eight different Contrade. This has lent the wine a balance and a striking mouth feel that, in a good year like this one, is found in grapes that are growing at around 600 meters above sea level.
Italy Italian Wines (ItalianMade.com, The Italian Trade Commission) | Italian Wine Guide on the WineDoctorSicilycossyra |
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