Light strawberry red. Fragrant nose of red cherry, strawberry, summer flowers, and Mediterranean herbs. Light to medium-bodied red-fruited palate with refreshing acidity. Wonderful pairing with turkey dinner. A small pouring left in the bottle still drank well 2 days later.
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Prior bottle was almost 15 months ago and this wine remains in a good spot. Red cherry, earth, spices and minerals on the nose. Between medium and full bodied with red cherry upfront, deepening to darker red cherry through the middle with a touch of black cherry and plum behind. Tart red cherry and strawberry on the backside and finishes with tannins, acidity and minerals. The fruit notes are a touch more expressive than my prior bottle, but the biggest change was on the backside. The tannins, acidity and other structural qualities are in better balance with the fruit so the finishing transition is more harmonious. Should continue to show incremental improvements along these lines and I'll plan to open my next bottle in Summer 2024.
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Still a very good wine. The color has faded to Amber, and the fruit is now a dried character, but the acid and length is still there. Some tannin is also present. I think this will be best over the next five years.
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Decanted for two hours and rebottled. Drank around an outdoor fire (30 ℉), so the 15% ABV wasn't as noticeable and the fruit was much more pronounced. Everyone really enjoyed this wine...lovely fruit and softness.
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popped it open, a bit restrained, into the decanter. an hour or so later this was generous with vibrant/bright red fruit and minerality. definitely get the volcanic influence here. in the background you get some subtle earthy note. Good acidity and tannins that are definitely present but not distracting. This wine still has a way to go. I bought it retail about a year before I drank it and I'd since stored it perfectly. Wish I'd picked a few more of these up as I still think it has more than a few years to go. Also, not a hint of EtOH. Great bottle.
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Similar notes as our last tasting in Feb 2019. Still drinking very well. Really nice accompaniment to an Italian Sausage appetizer and short rib cannelloni
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Prior bottle was nearly 14 months ago and while the wine has moved forward along the lines of what I'd expected, the actual result was a bit different and a slight letdown. Red cherry, light spices, earth and mineral notes on the nose. Between medium and full bodied with the red cherry upfront showing more rounded qualities and felt more open than previously, with just a touch of brightness for contrast. Mid-body continues to show good depth along with a background plum note. Strawberry and red berries come in towards the back, along with tart red cherry, balanced tannins, acidity and minerals through the finish.
While the wine has clearly opened up considerably and the tannins, tart notes and spice qualities are all in much better balance, the resulting wine was actually a step down from previously. That's not because the wine isn't as good as it was previously, but rather, I'd over estimated it initially. Seeing the power and the depth of fruit this wine had, I expected it to integrate, but also to gain in complexity and show a more complete whole with more elegance and complexity in future bottles. Instead, while more balanced, it's simply a softer, more integrated version of what came before. I don't want to sound too negative as this is certainly an enjoyable bottle of wine and well worth the price. Just hard to separate really high expectations from a very good, but not a spectacular outcome. Still actually takes about 3 hours to fully show properly and I'll plan to open my next bottle as soon as Summer 2022.
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I wasn’t sure about this at first, but it grew on me. Richer and riper than I expected, with a mix of red and darker fruits. Somewhat sappy sweet. Moderate acidity with some fine chalky tannin. I find this more ashy than pumice or lava rock-like than I usually find. I wish the ripeness and sappy-like sweetness were dialed back, but still this is pretty decent.
This bottle (L 01/16) was more advanced and opened up much sooner after decanting than previous bottles. I attribute that to an inferior cork (allowing for faster oxidation). It broke during extraction and was generally not up to the usual standards. And it was outstanding! It had all the characteristics that I have recorded in previous tasting notes. Excellent QPR.
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Lovely bottle. No detailed notes, but great balance and lovely fruit. Drinking very well after a double decant. Has time left but in a great spot right now.
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Open & slow-oxed for 4hrs before dinner in Riedel Burgs & btl. Wow! Has this ever improved since my last btl Aug '19. Yea! Now I think I drank my previous btls too young. Semi translucent ruby red. Very appealing red fruit, roses & underbrush aromas. The palate has really come together with harmonious, vibrant and complex layers of; red fruit, spice, mineral, herbs & forest floor elements. This is simply both a pleasure to smell and drink! My extra time in glass & btl didn't hurt. This just got more compelling as the night went on without any drop off. Wonderful, finally! 2 left that I'll likely drink by 2026. 15% alc stated on the label is scary but went completely unnoticed. 94+
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Tasted over 3 hrs -med dark red mild bricking -bright candied red fruit cherry Gummy Bear -med+ acidity, med weight candied red fruit shell wrapped around med+ volcanic chalky tannins -excellent now probably not much upside as I suspect the remaining fruit will fade long before the tannins
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My seventh bottle, it's been over a year since the previous one. I drink one each year because I have a lot of this in my cellar and want to see how it evolves, but for those with only a few bottles my recommendations continue unchanged: drink 2025 to 2035; decant 3 hours ahead; and if you serve it at cool room temperature the alcohol will remain in check. I got my stock from several sources and at several different times, but for my previous notes I didn't record the lot number. I'll pay attention to that more in the future. This one (L.01.16) seems to me to be a bit different than the previous bottles, showing very high acid levels that presage a long life. As I have mentioned before, this wine is evolving away from its Pinot Noir-ish youth towards a decidedly Nebbiolo-ish middle age, and is reminiscent of a very good Nebbiolo from Alto Piemonte. It needs at least a three hour decant to show its stuff, and was better on night two. It has a transparent ruby color, muted aromas of raspberries, cranberries and pomegranates and very big flavors of cherry, beetroot, and plums. It has lip-smacking acidity, medium+ body, a very big acid and tannin structure, a hint of mid-palate sweetness and a big, savory, very mineral finish. Excellent QPR.
If tasting blind, I’d have gone confidently for barbaresco. It’s the tannins and raspberry cherry cola profile; Also the colour’s a good match if just a touch darker. Really very refined and it wears its 15% alcohol lightly. It’s very approachable and there’s a lot to like here - it would be outstanding if it had just a little more complexity in the mid palate and a longer finish. So I also don’t quite see the 97 that Vinous gave it. But it’s excellent QPR and I’d definitely recommend it.
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Super aromatic notes of sulphur, metal, some dried herbs, blood orange, winter berries — there’s a high toned subtle sweet berry note that has the brightness of bubblegum without the exact note. It’s unique because those sulphur notes really come on strong at first.
The palate is cleaner than the nose would suggest with a lot of ripe berries, with high but ripe tannins and medium+ acid. Not insane length but there’s nice drive and focus on the palate with the berries and hints of citrus coming through clearly.
This is really good and evolved since the last time I’ve had it. The other bottle had gone way downhill, so maybe time to drink.
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PnP. I can’t endorse Vinous’s 97 pt score, but this is certainly an interesting and commanding wine. Sweet round nose of red fruits and licorice. Creamy palette with classically Italian levels of acid and silky tannins.
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My first experience of a wine from this region. Clear ruby color,, light body. Certainly some minerality & slate. Good intensity, dark red berry fruits. Enjoyable, however I was expecting more, lacking complexity. Will try remaiing bottles in a year or so.
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First time with this wine and it’s very impressive - top level QPR. Light in color. The nose is rocks, framboise and minerals galore. Light bodied with lovely depth - this is pretty special for the price. Lots of finishing tannin. This should rule in 10 years. Excited to see this evolve. Like a mix of burgundy and Barolo. You can taste the rocks. (94+?)
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Prior bottle was nearly 16 months ago and this wine continues to evolve positively. Red and black cherry on the nose along with spices, mineral and floral qualities. Close to full bodied with red cherry upfront showing a good mix of acidity derived tart brightness and more rounded, open qualities. Mid-body brings in added density along with plum and tart red berry and strawberry. The contrast between the slightly darker middle and the brighter, more lively backside worked quite well. This density also works quite well with the backside tannins so they feel more balanced and better integrated with the fruit. Tartness (acidity), redfruit and minerals through the finish. Balance overall continues to improve and as it does so, the fruit gains is expressiveness. Should continue to improve along these lines over the next couple of years with several years beyond that at a high level. I'll plan to open my next bottle in Q1 2022.
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A very pretty wine that needs time. On PnP, the nose was wowing me already, with fresh pomegranate and crushed cherry aromas, rose, and some crushed rock. On the palate, it continued the same theme with very high toned pomengranite, cherry, and orange like high acidity. But then on the finish, it all becomes unbalanced, you get tannin and some alcoholic spice. The front and back are not integrated smoothly. 90 points because of the poor finish. Day 2: the wine's contours have softened and the finish has smoothed out considerably. 92.
Give this a good decant if drinking today. I suspect I would really enjoy less large scaled vintages of this wine, especially one lower in alcohol, but the flavors are there. And the flavors are tasty to my palate. Good QPR.
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Somewhat tannic and fussy for most of day 1, roses and red fruits with a ferrous quality. Day 2 more fleshed out and balanced but not as energetic. Hold.
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Decanted for several hours then consumed over two days. Easily the best of several bottles I have tried, so it appears to be moving in the right direction. High toned with developing texture, juicy acidity and delicate red fruits, it suggests youthful femininity. Day one, the wine was more sassy and alive. Admittedly, it is not my preferred style of red wine, especially as winter is oncoming, but I found it interestingly enjoyable.
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My sixth bottle, the last one was ten months ago. It is drinking beautifully. The biggest difference since then is the more pronounced tannins; as EUGENEDINAPOLI has said, this is now reminiscent of a very good Nebbiolo from Alto Piemonte. Double-decanted and served two hours later, this needs at least that, or a single decant and a three hour delay, to show its stuff. Transparent ruby color, with a complex aromatic profile of ripe red fruits, rose petals and dried flowers. The flavor profile is outstanding, with lip-smacking acidity, medium+ body, black tea, minerals, beetroot and raw beef. A wine with lots of structure, it is extremely savory, with a hint of mid-palate sweetness and big, savory tannins. Slightly less elegant than I remember, this is a Nerello Mascalese that is turning away from its Pinot Noir-ish youth towards a decidedly Nebbiolo-ish middle age. As with previous bottles, on night two it was heftier and more savory, but less aromatic. Ideal drinking window is probably 2025-2035. Excellent QPR.
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Pale garnet. Earth, cherries, leather. Elevated and nimble palate, with juicy acidity and fine tannins. I don’t remember the first bottle being this good. Overall impression reminded me of an alto Piemonte Nebbiolo.
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Striking nose of rose petals, flint; tart, acidic, bright red cherry, strawberry, dried flowers. Nice mouth feel. Light; great summer wine. Great wine for the money! Very youthful- would be nice to wait a while. I'm giving 94 over 93 due to quality for price.
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Tart berries, red cherries, and candies on the nose. Quite tannic with great acidity and tart red berry flavors. Rich and interesting. Nice finish. This needs more time, try again in 5 years.
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It took about three hours to open up. The nose revealed dried roses, cherries, tomato stem, and a whiff of volcanic smoke. The palate has both cranberries and sour cherries, good acidity, and a mineral saline nature. I enjoyed it very much, but it probably will benefit from a few more years in the bottle.
Stor skillnad mot när jag drack det här vinet senast (2017). Smakerna är mer välintegrerade nu och vinet är kompakt och tätt. De enskilda smaknoterna är nu svårare att urskilja från varandra och vinet presenterar en kompott på mörka bär, viol, örter och hintar av ek i avslutningen. Klibbiga bär (i positiv bemärkelse) dröjer sig kvar i avslutningen med drag av sötma och ek.
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Bright, med (-) ruby. Unfiltered. Clean, med + tart red cherry, sweet raspberry, red flowers, sweet black plum, aromatic herbs, middle eastern spices. Just a hint of oak spice from 18 mos. in large, neutral oak barrels. Somewhat St. Rita Hills Pinot-Noir-like. Dry. Fruit-forward yet tart palate, with med + to high acidity. The tannins are med and sleek. 15% abv but drinks more like 14%. Med + body, flavor intensity and length. Savory, tart lemon finish pairs great with grilled tuna or other meaty, richly flavored fish. 2014 is a great vintage at 6 years, with a long future in light of its excellent structure. This is a really thought-provoking wine and I wish I had more.
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This bottle was a pop and pour.The color was pale ruby with orange tint highlights and legs were fast. On the nose red berries, red carnations, dried cranberries and pomegranate dominate. On the plate more dried red fruit, dried wild berries, orange zest, gravel,ash,pumice allspice and some thyme. Finish was still tannic and tight. 2014 is considered one of the best vintages to come out of Sicily in years. Worth seeking some out.
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Medium ruby color with a bouquet and flavor that is salty and vaguely fruity, with dried plums coming to mind. Quite high alcohol and untamed tannins. Clearly not a 97 as rated. Other tasters found considerable improvement with decanting and drinking a couple days later, while some recommended longer cellaring. I do have another bottle, so I can do both.
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This is my fifth bottle, and the biggest difference since September is an enhanced savoriness. With a 90 minute decant it is drinking beautifully. On night two it was heftier and more savory, but less aromatic. I recommend putting some aside to drink 2025-2035. It has a brilliant and transparent ruby color and is highly aromatic, especially of ripe red fruits and flowers. It has lip-smacking acidity, medium-light body, lots of fine-grained tannins, and a very savory, mineral and long finish, now showing classic Nerello Mascalese hints of raw steak and beetroot. This is an elegant, fragrant, very savory and highly structured wine built for the long haul. Excellent QPR.
This wine is just so good in such a straightforward “love me” way. Bright red fruit, vibrant acidity and a prominent streak of granitic minerality from start to its lengthy finish of ripe quince and pie cherry. Just an exceptional bottle of wine.
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A bottle in September 2019 showed beautiful fruit, cherry, raspberry and cranberry, with a lovely mouthfeel. This more recent bottle showed much less fruit and was more angular.
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Lighter strawberry, darker raspberry along with mineral and floral notes on the nose. Full bodied (15% ABV), but for such a "big" wine, I thought it concealed the alcohol quite well. Smooth red cherry upfront along with brighter, more tart red red berries. Mid-body shows very good concentration and balance and is tied in very nicely to the backside. Picks up plum and tart red berries to go along with spices and mineral notes. Tannins here provide good structure and are very close to being fully in balance with the fruit with just some touches of dryness remaining. Usually, this wine feels deft, with pretty red fruits and lots of mineral notes. There's more concentration here than typical, but it handled quite well; kind of like a big but elegant pinot noir. Although the tannins are coming into balance quite well, this wine is not yet at peak as it should integrate a bit more with additional time as well as open up just a bit further. I might have expected (and ignored) a 97 from Suckling, but that's a pretty big miss from Vinous. Don't let that discourage you however as this is really good wine with future potential and at roughly $30 or so, represents solid QPR. Next bottle for me, Summer 2020.
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This wine shows its 15% alcohol more than I would ideally like as there is a lot of excellent material here, it's just too big for me. That's a personal preference thing. The wine shows a lighter color and body, nice salinity, and rocky red fruit flavors. A good food wine, really nice with the hunk of parmesan we had, but I kept coming back to the weight and perceived heat of the heft of the wine.
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Gets better with each bottle. As I have written before, if you do not have many in your cellar then forget about them until 2022-2025, and drink to 2035+. This was double decanted yet took two hours to open up, and only reached its peak on night two. It makes me sad to think of how many bottles of this wine have been popped & poured, without the wine having the chance to show it’s stuff.
The 2014 Passorosso has a brilliant and transparent ruby color, and at its peak it is highly aromatic, with red fruits and flowers. It has lip-smacking acidity, medium-light body, lots of fine-grained tannins, and a savory, mineral and long finish. This is an elegant, fragrant, and highly structured wine built for the long haul.
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Decanted for 2-1/2 hours then back into btl for wine group annual picnic and clears some sediment. Still can't envision this ever being a a 97pt wine as rated by Ian D'Agata but with the decant it show a lot more balanced. Perfect with food and while I enjoy its on its own others in the group found its acidity and tannin a little too present for their palates. I still prefer the 2015 for its more sleek profile but this has improved significantly. I've been buying and loving this producer for a long time so the 97pts rating never factored into my buying it. I'm just confounded by the wow impression & high expectations Ian had for this on release? I do think this ends up being a 93-94pt wine with a few more years.
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Bright medium ruby red color. PNP, drank 2 glasses over 90 minutes. Still pretty wound up at this point. I'd tend to say it really hasn't moved much at all. Striking acidity marked by firm tannins and and volcanic like minerality. The red fruit is there dancing in the mix, but quite tart. I'm not getting much nuance currently. Brought this to my niece's grad party and drank with wood fired neapolitan pizza. Not a bad pairing, but based on previous history, there was more to come. Fast forward 48 hours and you experience where this ultimately goes. The acidity, once lion like, has now been tamed. The purity one expects is evident. Pretty red cherry, and bright red berry fruit. The tannins while ever present have relaxed considerably. The volcanic nature and minerality is now a highlight. This needs another couple years at least to show at its best on opening. I'll try to hold this for a couple years myself. 90+ to 91pts (48hrs after opening).
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Crystalline translucent ruby cherry Hints of sulphur, volcano burping after eating a plate of cherry , mineralogy striking acid line with fine but firm tannin, tartness mouthwatering and morish
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UWS a random set of wines (@ JB): In the bouquet primary cherries and raspberries. On the palate cherries, a lot of acidity and drying in the finish. No score.
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Haha, I guessed luminous garnet before reading my previous note... Anyhow, not much has changed in two years. The label says 15%, the nose shows a whiff of alcohol, and the finish is very slightly hot, but the whole is delicious and fresh enough to forgive these slights which may actually reflect my own sensitivity. Excellent with sausage/escarole/beans pasta.
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Next to a glass of good California southern Rhone blend, this bottle really shone. Literally, the light through the glass was clear and brilliant, making the California wine look turbid. The Passorosso was light on its feet and danced on the tongue. Clarity and precision delivered in spades. The kind of wine I'd have any time.
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This is only the second 100% Nerello Mascalese we have opened. Ruby red color and a very fragrant nose with nice long legs in the glass. Lots of fruit in the nose, cherries, raspberries, and strawberries, with some leather and floral. Cherries and plums in the flavor with a touch of spice on the finish. Medium bodied wine with nice acidity and a medium length finish. Nice accompaniment with pasta and Italian sausage.
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Black berries, cherries, candy, and lavender on the implements nose. Candied cherries, red fruit, and cedar on the palate. Strong tannins and pretty high acidity. Nice finish. This took a good two hours in the decanter to really shine and transformed into a very complex and interesting bottle. 94++ Wife: 94-95
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Ruby color in the center and clear to the edges. Sour cherry, a little licorice and a fennel-like savory note on the nose. On the palate it's a little riper than I expected. Medium-high acid and medium tannins. It's 15% alcohol, but I wouldn't have known it if I hadn't looked.
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Unless this bottle was flawed, it is amazing to watch the evolution of my palate in the things I like now which I did not like before, and some things I like before which I no longer appreciate. This wine has a sharp acidity, with some vibrant Cherry notes, but there is an element of Oak that is overpowering and feels forced.
I did not enjoy the strong Woody flavors, and I feel like this wine needs some strong food notes to offset the acidity and bitter finish.
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What makes Etna wines like this stand out is that they make Nero Mascalese into the functional equivalent of Pinot Noir in Sicily. Lightly colored, at best a dark see through ruby. Elegant rather than heavy or powerful. Very clear and vivid flavors. Bright and lively acidity. Dryly tannic with no overt or separate sweetness. Magnificent with food partly because it melds with foods rather than ever overpowering them.
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Enjoyable but still needs more time for the structure to integrate. Got to layoff for at least another year for next one. Still a bit out of balance. Much prefer 2015 at this point!
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More Bebu (Chicago, IL): Yeah, this stuff works with pizza. We even had the right sort tonight (right, nphase?). Nice volcanic sulphur nose, with a nice mix of black and red fruit. There's a clean minerality on the palate, as well as some pleasant sweet fruit. The tannins finish with a bit of a chalky texture, and seem just a touch bigger than the wine can handle.
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Brilliant ruby color. Perfumed and aromatic notes of strawberries, raspberries, red currant, also some darker notes too, violet drops, also some smoke, dark mineral notes, menthol, as well as some leather and meaty notes. It‘s medium+ bodied, with pretty high acidity and medium tannin that is present but silky. Excellent length. A superb, aromatic and super fresh expression of Etna that combines minerality, red fruit and incredible depth with a weightless impression. Love it! (94+)
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The nose was so pretty and a bit exotic tonight, showing spicy black cherry offset by rosy floral tones, lifting minerality, spiced orange, mint leaf and hints of undergrowth. On the palate, I found soft-enveloping textures offset by zesty acidity with tart cherry, cranberry and spicy citrus. It finished long with saturating tart cherry fruit, inner florals and hints of tannin. Another great performance and making me wonder if I bought enough to see this to perfect maturity.
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Pretty see through red core with some orange red at rim; after seeing a good bit of air this fills out nicely, liqueur of red fruit, tart cranberry and sour cherry with a volcanic overtone, nice depth, some wilting rose, high toned at first but have some patience with this; still quite tart on the palate, cranberry juice, high acid with a sunny ripe disposition, tannin structure is not as pronounced as the acid spine but enough fat to keep from being too lean, curious what a few years will give us.
My third bottle. See my previous notes for details. If you don't have very many in your cellar then put this away until 2022-2035. Big, intense, highly structured; very big acid approach and fairly tannic finish. Classic Nerello Mascalese aromas; sappy, still closed and tightly wound; tremendous raw materials, but right now this lacks complexity.
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Wow. A wine that makes me take notice, sit up and pay attention. Pie cherry and spice nose. Soft mouthfeel. Cherry rhubarb and not-yet-ripe strawberry flavors, and really beautifully aggressive acidity - keeps your attention. Drying fine tannins clamp down on the end, though they release about 20 seconds later, making me think I should buy some more of this to store away, revisit in five to ten years. Flinty minerality that is present from initial attack an carrying across the finish. Really special wine. It is a treat to take a sip of wine while reading and immediately have attention diverted - entirely - to the wine.
I don’t think this is yet a 97pt wine (per Vinous) but it’s got the stuffing for greatness. Young. Young. Young. Even after dbl decant, 6 hours slow ox, 1 hour wide decant. Others have called this period the “dumb phase” for this wine. I generally agree. Still a lot of fun. It’s like an energetic, boisterous Italian Pinot.
PopnPour, tasted over 2 hrs -nearly semi-translucent dark red with purple tinge -stony fresh dark red/black fruit -med/med+ acidity, sappy focused med/med- weight stony dark red/black fruits tar, med+ tannins quite prominent -needs several years to shed some tannic structure
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Pues en la cata a ciegas lo pillamos y no es que yo haya catado muchos Nerello Mascalese. Con algo menos de capa que el tinto precedente. Muestra atractivos toques de pedernal, algo de violetas y un fondo de frutilla roja del bosque. En boca tiene buen ataque y aunque aparece ligero en el paso presenta un tanino firme, muy buena acidez, buenos amargos, estructura ligera pero firme y notable persistencia. Me encantó.
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Well worth the critics' points, and a relative bargain to boot. Light red. Quite young with cherry fruit dominating. Elegant. A little way to go toward tannin integration. Lovely acidity.
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I'm not sure I "get" this wine. I've tried it a few times and none of them were a positive experience. Unbalanced, thin and acidic, and seemingly lacking body, despite its 14.5% abv. frame. I don't understand the high critical scores.
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I am convinced that this is in a "dumb" period. The wine is completely introverted. See my notes from October 2017, they apply also to this bottle but if anything this one is more closed.
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fairy floss early but blows away and pink flowers, crunchy red cherry, black olive and hard aniseed flow, charred BBQ, some hard tannin but the flavour grabs and runs, time will be kind
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Bold sweet fruit nose with aromas of minerality and graphite. Tinge of sweet on early palate, blueberry hints and tannins emerge toward the middle. Earthy core with fruits orbiting including cherry.
High acidity throughout.
Finish is raisin, pepper and strong tannins.
Brilliant with pizza topped with smoked bacon.
If it weren't so good with pizza sauce I would have sworn it was a pinot noir!
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nose - chestnut, dusty mouth - a complex wine which reminds me of a good burgundy. mid bodied at most, nicely mineral, quite dry, and loaded with bitter red fruits such as cranberry, cherry, and rosehip. long finish.
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Ripe red cherry fruit with a nice smoky, earthy component. Rich and expansive while maintaining a sense of elegance. Carries the high alcohol well, I hardly noticed it. Not sure I get D'Agata's crazy high score, but this is a very good wine.
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Been waiting to try a bottle of this, obviously been some mild controversy, between Ian's super-high score and much more measured TN's here and elsewhere.
I usually don't notice color very much, but this one had a really pretty garnet color. The palate is lots of dark cherry, medium body. The alcohol is not noticeable at all at the beginning, though after a few hours open it pops up a little on the nose and finish (and also the midpalate is shutting down a little). Medium acidity. It's very fun to drink, goes nicely with food or without. Does it speak to me of Mt. Etna? I dunno. You could have said this was a middle of the road high-quality California pinot and I would have believed you. But it IS quite delicious.
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This is a young, fun, slightly sweet wine without any complexity, but I don’t see anything serious here. Max score is 90/91 without more potential. Hold 1-2 yrs so wine can come together then drink over 5.
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I happened to see a write up from Ian D'Agata about this wine that was completely over the top (97 pts!!!), right after I saw an offer for under $30 a bottle. If you don't know him, D'Agata now writes for the Vinous empire, but I hold him in the highest regard for his magnificent achievement, the book Native Grapes of Italy, which is a required resource for anyone who loves Italian Wine.
I bought 6 bottles online and eagerly unpacked them when the shipment arrived. Glancing at the bottle I happened to notice it was labeled 15% alcohol, and my heart sank. I have a growing love for Etna, but had never seen one with that kind of sledgehammer weight. I went quickly back to the review to see if I had missed anything telltale, but it said, "Creamy-sweet but amazingly light on its feet," which is language I've never seen or experienced in a 15% wine from any geography. Out the window went any expectation that it could be "Burgundian." While opening the bottle my emotions thus twitched between joyful anticipation and thinly veiled dread.
The color was a promisingly limpid garnet red. But the nose and flavor profile were overwrought with stalky, stemmy aromas I've occasionally experienced in both Burgundy and the Northern Rhone, which I probably mistakenly associate with the use of whole clusters. Like the famous definition of obscenity, I know it when I smell it, even if I can't define it.
There's a lot of stuff going on elsewhere in the wine, but to be honest, I don't have the energy to suss it out when the stalky overtones are so pronounced. I have other bottles and I'm going to cross my fingers this is atypical given the glowing reviews. I will say it handles the alcohol impressively and would never have guessed 15% but that's the best I can do today.
Two final thoughts. First, I confirmed, we're in the middle of three solid biodynamic leaf days. So next bottle goes on a fruit day for sure. Good to support or debunk that theory. Second, I wonder if I have a genetic sensitivity to this yet unverified component, like the way some people do with cilantro. Hard to prove without intensive analyzation of the winemaking every time I experience it, so that's my new task.
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Pnp. Pours a day-bright translucent red in the glass. Nose and palate are quite unusual brimming with intense balsamic syrup drizzled over ripe strawberries and raspberries, herbaceous underbrush, loamy earth, and volcanic rocks. Midpalate is light on its feet yet full and ripe with tame tannins and judicious acidity. The long finish is pleasant and complex adding a citrus/amaro twist. I didn't find the alcohol to be out of place here, but maybe it's because I drank it on the cooler side at 58 degrees.
This is a fine wine in need of time. I find the nose primary with cherry and floral notes. Cherry is dominant on the palate and the tannins need a little time. I believe this wine will improve with a few more years under cork.
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Drinking surprisingly well after a one hour decant. Heat initially, but with air the fruit came forward. Dark fruits, some pepper notes, savory. Nice nose. Clean on the finish. Balance and stuffing to improve. best with food now, but open enough to enjoy on its own.
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The most accessible Passopisciaro I've had to date, suave and expansive with black cherry fruit extended by a drop of balsamic and a strong mineral undertone. A superb showing, a just-ripe middle palate with freshness and and aromatic complexity. A little less tannin seems to have set this free.
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Consumed over two nights, much better on night two, and I have no doubt that the wine should be cellared for another 3 years, with peak drinking window 2020-2028. 2012s are drinking perfectly right now.
On night one, with 45 minutes of air, it was an excellent entry level Etna Rosso, stylistically on the lighter side, with structure, cut, delineation, lift; bright red fruits and a long, mineral finish with a tart backbone and firm but pleasant tannins. On night two it had become a bigger and more serious wine, showing all the same structure as night one, but adding sweetness and a meaty, savory character, and a lovely complexity. The one troubling note is the heat, as the alcohol made itself felt as it rarely does on a fine Etna. Anyway, I'm feeling very good about the wine and where it is headed, but I do think it is too young for drinking now.
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Bright medium red. Decanted and drank over two days. Aromas of red fruit the gained herbs complexity. Tasted of tart sour cherry and mint. The alcohol is not overwhelming but the entire package comes across a bit hot
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A whopping 15% alcohol on this wine. Color does look typical Nerello. The aromas are certainly heavy and concentrated, feeling a little boozy, but showing notes of herbs, tar and volcanic ash. Most certainly feels modern on the nose, but that volcanic ash is what keeps it in place, even if the aroma is a little confusing of place. Palate texture is on the thin side of things, with rich concentrated lava soil notes, heavy vanilla extract, puckering smooth tannins, rich tart acid and flavors of puckering lemon tannins. Rich tannin and acid on the finish. Puckering and lean, showing more lovely volcanic notion coupled with an odd shrimp shell on consecutive sips. Thankfully the 15% alcohol doesn't overpower the palate nor the finish. It's actually very nice purity on the finish showing a beautiful expression of Etna. I really appreciate how light in body this is as it still allows it to express a lighter expression and exuberance on the palate and finish. It's that intensity on the finish that makes this enjoyable and it wouldn't be there if this was heavy in expression. Still, I get nothing close on the enjoyment scale to what Ian D'Agata did.
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Pizza Night in the North Loop (David's Place, Mpls): Medium red color. Decanted for about 30 minutes and then had open for an hour plus before drinking. Drank 1 glass over 90 minutes plus. True Confessions 1.0, I did not think a lot of this the first night. I found it far to herbal for my tastes, angular, and very tannic - in fact I wrote "meh" in the margin of my notes. There was some decent fruit there, choke cherry, strawberry, and though i found the tannins to be somewhat "pretty" they were very gripping. I would have scored this 87 to maybe 88pts at that point. I was questioning myself for having bought more too. Well 48 hours later, I'm sitting here sipping this by itself (ie, no food - at the moment) and wow, what a pleasant transformation. Gone is all that herbaceousness, gone is the angularity and flashes of alcohol. The tannins have softened and become pleasing and complimentary. The fruit really shows some purity and finesse and the nose also displays a very nice dried flower topnote. I knew this was young, but I'm happy to confirm that the evolution is coming. 90+pts.
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Kevin's btl tonight. I've been disappointed with my first couple of these but tonight's btl seemed like it was more balanced and not quite the fruit bomb of previous btls. I didn't give this enough attention but tonight because the small group was in full swing jabber mode but I left feeling more encouraged than with my other 2014s. Ill open one of mine again before the end of the year. Think, this one saw some air as it showed up with the cork already pulled.
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Scents of red fruits with hints of ash, minerals, and vanilla. There's some sour cherry on the palate. The tannins and acidity are noticeable, but everything is balanced. There are some interesting mineral notes on the palate. Very good.
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Started off with showing a lot of acidity after opening. But after 3-4 days it showed a better picture. Nose is intense, meaty and mineral. On the palate the wine shows even more minerality, tart but ripe red berries, and earthiness. It finishes long but on the alcohol. It's a fairly intense wine that gets enhanced by the right food pairing, which I believe is the key here, and which is why i give it this score. I think i was not able to reveal its best self. It's built to age and I'd love to try it again in 10 years.
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Nose - grapefruit (!), smoke Mouth - smooth round very juicy and lovely ripe red fruits verging on lush and sappy while maintaining a very clean and pure midpalate. Dark fruited licorice comes to mind. Combines power with finesse. This is an excellent wine.
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Wine at the Lake (Lake Lanier, GA): Brilliant ruby red; intense and focused liqueur like cherry, raspberry, cranberry, lots of pent up fruit here, volcanic and smoky sulfur notes surround, good fat to body- not as much as the single vineyards though, fine and soft mineral to this, tannins are rounded and easier than many at this age, alcohol is well hidden even at 15%; good, give it some time, also serve a litlte bit cooler.
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The nose was intense, spicy and wonderfully lifted with black cherry offset by rosy floral tones, mint, spiced orange, crushed stone and hints of black earth. On the palate, I found silky textures contrasted by a combination of tart cherry, cranberry and zesty acidity along with a spicy citrus spring to its step--the purity here was incredible as well. It finished remarkably long with saturating tart cherry fruit, inner florals and hard candies. A hint of tannin lingered through the aftermath assuring that this is not only amazing tonight, but sure to get even better over time. I’m excited to watch it evolve throughout the evening.
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Strawberries, cherries, red fruit, and sage on the nose. Good acidity with sour cherries, red berries, and herbs on the palate. Medium+ tannins. Good finish.
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My second bottle. This time: "sour, sour, sour...to the Max". Closed nose. Tight palate. Extreme palate of only sour cherries. The acidity overwhelms the fruit on this bottle and I am not finding this all that enjoyable. Cellar time may not resolve this and I strongly disagree with the WA score of 97. The line between this wine and cherry vinegar is very, very thin. Based on this disappointing showing, I will not revisit for at least one year.
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N: Very slightly closed; An intriguing mix of cherries & minerals, quite poss forest floor?
P: LM, *poss* Med, body; Almost swtish frt met by an astringent pucker which slowly, somewhat mitigates as it leads into a fairly LONG finish with a VERY slight tangy/swtness to the dusty tannins. NEEDS 2 yrs, I'm guessing, then drinking over the ff'ing several, quite poss longer. A very nicely balanced, potentially elegant style. 97 pts Vinous (D'Agata), 92 WA, 91 Decanter (Brook), 90 ea WS & WE @ $39, and 17/20 Jancis Robinson (Speller). [As of early Apr '20, wine-searcher still shows 3 sources @ $40 & $44].
Note: Also tasted on 2/18 & 4/1/17
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Heavenly nose, but tight. Air helped take some of the edge off the tannins, but this will be a lot better with a few years in the cellar. More red fruited than black with a bit of ash and spice. Really looking forward to following this one over the next 3-5 years.
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If the 2014 deserved its astronomical 97 point rating from Ian D'Agata in Vinous, it should tower over previous vintages. However, tasted side by side with the 2010 rosso, the 2010 is significantly better tasting. One of the biggest differences is that the 2014 has an excessively sour acidity, whereas the 2010's acidity is rounded and far better integrated. The other main difference is that the 2014 has tannin much more grippy and astringent. The main fruit in the 2014 is sour cherry, whereas the 2010 is closer to sweet cherry. The texture of the 2010 is more caressing as opposed to the more prickly 2014. Except for the acidity, both wines were equally concentrated. While the 2014 will doubtless improve with age, little in it now suggests it be will significantly superior in 4 years to what the 2010 is now.
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A bit on the sour cherry side... to be fair, this was opened within an hour of being delivered... so being shaken up might have some effect. Nice medium - light red fruit, on the sour side with some floral and mineral aspect.
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Very clear light red. Intense nose, candied cherry, cranberry, thyme and a sort of cherry syrup thing. Nice cherry and berry flavours and a slightly hot dry finish.
Not like the 09 or the 05. Which were a fair bit more elegant. Now this wine was very young so improvement is possible but never see this being a 97 pointer.
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Luminous garnet. The nose is blackberry, graphite, peppercorns, just the barest alcohol. The palate enters tart and fresh, much redder than the nose, juicy and ripe and bright-textured. The finish is in line with the palate, a little spicy and medium-long. This wine seems quite young but also totally drinkable now.
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My first taste of this wine. Light ruby in color. Beautiful nose of cherry wood, vanilla and earth. Light body. Good balance. Tart cherry/strawberry flavors with short, astringent finish.
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This bottle showed beautifully tonight. Consistent with other comments here, the vintage has a little more bass than typically found, but it's very nicely balanced.
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N: Very slightly closed; Init earthiness SOMEWHAT yields to minerality with undertones of cherries
P: Med body; Very NICE frt on front quickly met by an astringent pucker which surprises with the degree to which it resolves by the LONG, very, VERY slightly bitterish finish. Deserves/NEEDS 2 yrs more, then a potential powerhouse? 97 pts Vinous (D'Agata), 92 WA, 91 Decanter (Brook), 90 ea WS & WE @ $39, and 17/20 Jancis Robinson (Speller). [As of late Feb '20, wine-searcher still shows several sources from $40-$44].
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PnP in Riedel Burg glass and left to slow ox for 30 minutes or so before my first sip. I've said it before, for me, Passopisciaro is kind of a mythical combination of Burgundy and Piedmont. Tonight's btl swung from being fruit forward and riper like last time to seeming more old school Piedmonte Barolo like tonight. It showed more grip and balsamic notes than Chambolle like pretty, lacy red fruit. This is a unique Passopisciaro vintage from any other I've had since I first drank these back with the 2005 vintage. That I can remember, anyway. Its a work in progress and where it will end up is still up for grabs. Tonight it swung back and forth from balanced and enjoyable to a little grumpy stern. I'll try to lay off these for six months and see where it goes. One thing is for sure this, is truly a unique terroir driven wine I don't know you get from anywhere else than the slopes of Mt Etna. I enjoy it every year and its an auto pilot buy for me. A stellar value at around $28 - $32.
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This is a very pleasant wine, but it is completely anonymous. It could be from anywhere. I see it as a crowd pleaser, but not a wine that expresses and sense of place. Ripe red cherry liqueur is the dominant aromatic and flavor element, with not much to back it up. Throw in 15% alcohol, and it's a cocktail beverage.
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Burgundian, yes, albeit with a few drops of barolo and châteauneuf thrown in for good measure. The nose is youthful with aromas of red cherries and raspberries against a backdrop of lava and wood. For now, the structure is a bit tight, restrained by the oak, even though the flavours are not toasted. The alcohol is definitely high (15% abv) but not burning. Stylewise a tad too polished. Needs a few years to loosen up and develop more expression of terroir.
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Lovely and fragrant. A bit tight on opening, but then some nice cherry liqueur comes through, and some lightly floral notes. Good acidity and fairly firm but fine-grained tannins on finish. Would expect this to improve for a decade or more and end up like those Calabretta's I love, but with a bit less brett.
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Wonderfully aromatic nose with violets, lavender, red berries, cherry, warm herbs and warm, cruched stone. On the palate lovely, lush, still primary and a bit sweet but quite elegant fruit, intense mineral feeling and medium+ acidity. Well integrated, rounded tannins. Could perhaps wish for a bit more staying power, the finish is, if not short, at least not very long. But nevertheless - a most impressive showing. Great wine!
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N: Earth (volcanic aspects?) atop berries/spice, the latter 2 coming forward with addt'l air/swirling
P: Med body; Nice frt met by an astringent pucker that only somewhat irons itself out by the LONG, tangy finish. I'm thinking most would want to cellar this into '19, then drink for 3+ yrs thereafter? For me, at least, the style reminded me of a Chianti Classico, though with a somewhat different flavor profile. 97 pts Vinous (D'Agata), 92 WA, 91 Decanter (Brook), 90 ea WS & WE @ $39, and 17/20 Jancis Robinson (Speller). [As of late Mar '20, wine-searcher still shows 4 sources from $37-$44].
Addendum: Also tasted on 4/1/17
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Been buying and drinking this wine non stop for around 10 vintages. This is the biggest score I've seen yet from a critic and I'm not quite sure why? This shows a little riper, richer and texturally smoother than most vintages like 2010, for example, so maybe that's driving Ian D'Agata's 97pt score? For me this is just another fine vintage of Passopisciaro and, like most others, likely ends up around 93-94pts for me when fully realized. A little baby fat today. This is one of the very few wines I ever buy more than 3 btls of. The $30ish price tag always makes Passopisciaro one of the best values in red wine. Its a unique wine with both Burgundy and Piedmont characteristics on display but still its own unique wine. The tannins are always in check and the wine superbly balanced, etheral and red fruited. I, far and away,prefer it to any other wine from Sicily. I love the weight, minerality and finesse as always. So now I own 8 btls of a newly minted 97pt wine that is, for me, just another somewhat riper richer version of the wine I love year in year out. Its fun though to drink a loved producer across vintages and this is a fun btl. Tonight, PnP in Burg glass and slow ox for 45 minutes or so before dinner tonight. Delicious and great, as always! Only gripe, its hard to remember how to spell the name! How can the Alc be 15%? Feels, taste & smells more like 12-13%. Here's hoping the whopper score doesn't drive up the price on one of my favorite, previously, relatively under the radar, reds!
12/25/2023 - hkbob Likes this wine: 93 Points
Light strawberry red. Fragrant nose of red cherry, strawberry, summer flowers, and Mediterranean herbs. Light to medium-bodied red-fruited palate with refreshing acidity. Wonderful pairing with turkey dinner. A small pouring left in the bottle still drank well 2 days later.
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9/22/2023 - Ebrim wrote: flawed
short note - slight aceton, balsamico, damaged
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7/8/2023 - RGCM Gananda Likes this wine: 91 Points
Prior bottle was almost 15 months ago and this wine remains in a good spot. Red cherry, earth, spices and minerals on the nose. Between medium and full bodied with red cherry upfront, deepening to darker red cherry through the middle with a touch of black cherry and plum behind. Tart red cherry and strawberry on the backside and finishes with tannins, acidity and minerals. The fruit notes are a touch more expressive than my prior bottle, but the biggest change was on the backside. The tannins, acidity and other structural qualities are in better balance with the fruit so the finishing transition is more harmonious. Should continue to show incremental improvements along these lines and I'll plan to open my next bottle in Summer 2024.
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6/21/2023 - nectar14 Likes this wine:
Still a very good wine. The color has faded to Amber, and the fruit is now a dried character, but the acid and length is still there. Some tannin is also present. I think this will be best over the next five years.
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6/14/2023 - Devlon Moore Does not like this wine:
This wine was disappointing. It was on the downward slope with a little fruit left and a little leaf left but it wasn’t where it should be… Drink up.
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6/11/2023 - hargy wrote: flawed
this too was buggered
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4/29/2023 - Bonesetter wrote: flawed
Buggered
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1/21/2023 - afot Likes this wine:
Round and balanced slightly tannic in the finish and I had the impression that there was a hint of VA. Everyone liked the wine.
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1/8/2023 - pinoteer Likes this wine: 91 Points
Decanted for two hours and rebottled. Drank around an outdoor fire (30 ℉), so the 15% ABV wasn't as noticeable and the fruit was much more pronounced. Everyone really enjoyed this wine...lovely fruit and softness.
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10/29/2022 - Rywyine Likes this wine:
popped it open, a bit restrained, into the decanter. an hour or so later this was generous with vibrant/bright red fruit and minerality. definitely get the volcanic influence here. in the background you get some subtle earthy note. Good acidity and tannins that are definitely present but not distracting. This wine still has a way to go. I bought it retail about a year before I drank it and I'd since stored it perfectly. Wish I'd picked a few more of these up as I still think it has more than a few years to go. Also, not a hint of EtOH. Great bottle.
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4/28/2022 - buckeye76 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Similar notes as our last tasting in Feb 2019. Still drinking very well. Really nice accompaniment to an Italian Sausage appetizer and short rib cannelloni
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4/14/2022 - RGCM Gananda Likes this wine: 91 Points
Prior bottle was nearly 14 months ago and while the wine has moved forward along the lines of what I'd expected, the actual result was a bit different and a slight letdown. Red cherry, light spices, earth and mineral notes on the nose. Between medium and full bodied with the red cherry upfront showing more rounded qualities and felt more open than previously, with just a touch of brightness for contrast. Mid-body continues to show good depth along with a background plum note. Strawberry and red berries come in towards the back, along with tart red cherry, balanced tannins, acidity and minerals through the finish.
While the wine has clearly opened up considerably and the tannins, tart notes and spice qualities are all in much better balance, the resulting wine was actually a step down from previously. That's not because the wine isn't as good as it was previously, but rather, I'd over estimated it initially. Seeing the power and the depth of fruit this wine had, I expected it to integrate, but also to gain in complexity and show a more complete whole with more elegance and complexity in future bottles. Instead, while more balanced, it's simply a softer, more integrated version of what came before. I don't want to sound too negative as this is certainly an enjoyable bottle of wine and well worth the price. Just hard to separate really high expectations from a very good, but not a spectacular outcome. Still actually takes about 3 hours to fully show properly and I'll plan to open my next bottle as soon as Summer 2022.
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4/9/2022 - angryphoton wrote: 88 Points
It was OK, but slightly on the down slope. Tannins are fully resolved but has some slight oxidized notes.
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4/7/2022 - Bonesetter Likes this wine: 90 Points
Great Passorosso. Drank in late 2021. Cherry and cola, gentle tannins.
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3/25/2022 - Outplaying wrote:
I wasn’t sure about this at first, but it grew on me. Richer and riper than I expected, with a mix of red and darker fruits. Somewhat sappy sweet. Moderate acidity with some fine chalky tannin. I find this more ashy than pumice or lava rock-like than I usually find. I wish the ripeness and sappy-like sweetness were dialed back, but still this is pretty decent.
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1/22/2022 - hargy Likes this wine: 92 Points
lovely wine - light but with a distinct character - the tannins are largely resolved so drinking nicely now
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1/21/2022 - PaulusLoZebra Likes this wine: 95 Points
This bottle (L 01/16) was more advanced and opened up much sooner after decanting than previous bottles. I attribute that to an inferior cork (allowing for faster oxidation). It broke during extraction and was generally not up to the usual standards. And it was outstanding! It had all the characteristics that I have recorded in previous tasting notes. Excellent QPR.
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12/13/2021 - Rechrom wrote: 93 Points
Lovely bottle. No detailed notes, but great balance and lovely fruit. Drinking very well after a double decant. Has time left but in a great spot right now.
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12/7/2021 - smenzies wrote: 91 Points
Certainly benefits from 3+ hr decant as the fruit comes up and tannins subside
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12/3/2021 - chablis28 wrote: 94 Points
Open & slow-oxed for 4hrs before dinner in Riedel Burgs & btl. Wow! Has this ever improved since my last btl Aug '19. Yea! Now I think I drank my previous btls too young. Semi translucent ruby red. Very appealing red fruit, roses & underbrush aromas. The palate has really come together with harmonious, vibrant and complex layers of; red fruit, spice, mineral, herbs & forest floor elements. This is simply both a pleasure to smell and drink! My extra time in glass & btl didn't hurt. This just got more compelling as the night went on without any drop off. Wonderful, finally! 2 left that I'll likely drink by 2026. 15% alc stated on the label is scary but went completely unnoticed. 94+
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11/28/2021 - Cote d'Or Likes this wine:
Tasted over 3 hrs
-med dark red mild bricking
-bright candied red fruit cherry Gummy Bear
-med+ acidity, med weight candied red fruit shell wrapped around med+ volcanic chalky tannins
-excellent now probably not much upside as I suspect the remaining fruit will fade long before the tannins
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11/14/2021 - Shapnyc Likes this wine: 92 Points
Warren general store lasagna
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10/31/2021 - PaulusLoZebra Likes this wine: 94 Points
My seventh bottle, it's been over a year since the previous one. I drink one each year because I have a lot of this in my cellar and want to see how it evolves, but for those with only a few bottles my recommendations continue unchanged: drink 2025 to 2035; decant 3 hours ahead; and if you serve it at cool room temperature the alcohol will remain in check. I got my stock from several sources and at several different times, but for my previous notes I didn't record the lot number. I'll pay attention to that more in the future. This one (L.01.16) seems to me to be a bit different than the previous bottles, showing very high acid levels that presage a long life. As I have mentioned before, this wine is evolving away from its Pinot Noir-ish youth towards a decidedly Nebbiolo-ish middle age, and is reminiscent of a very good Nebbiolo from Alto Piemonte. It needs at least a three hour decant to show its stuff, and was better on night two. It has a transparent ruby color, muted aromas of raspberries, cranberries and pomegranates and very big flavors of cherry, beetroot, and plums. It has lip-smacking acidity, medium+ body, a very big acid and tannin structure, a hint of mid-palate sweetness and a big, savory, very mineral finish. Excellent QPR.
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10/22/2021 - djn63 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Lacks nose but makes upp for it on the palate so smooth with some length very very smooth. Drinking beautifully
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9/29/2021 - m.lupus wrote: 93 Points
Totally yummy and ready to go. I found it on discount for around $25, which almost amounts to a steal.
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9/6/2021 - mckillop Likes this wine: 95 Points
QPR is off the charts!
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7/31/2021 - uve Likes this wine: 92 Points
If tasting blind, I’d have gone confidently for barbaresco. It’s the tannins and raspberry cherry cola profile; Also the colour’s a good match if just a touch darker. Really very refined and it wears its 15% alcohol lightly. It’s very approachable and there’s a lot to like here - it would be outstanding if it had just a little more complexity in the mid palate and a longer finish. So I also don’t quite see the 97 that Vinous gave it. But it’s excellent QPR and I’d definitely recommend it.
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6/24/2021 - winemaker Likes this wine: 92 Points
Same as previous notes. I keep hoping this will show more like the 97 pts. Galloni gave it. 3 more to go...
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6/13/2021 - OaktownRush Likes this wine: 92 Points
Super aromatic notes of sulphur, metal, some dried herbs, blood orange, winter berries — there’s a high toned subtle sweet berry note that has the brightness of bubblegum without the exact note. It’s unique because those sulphur notes really come on strong at first.
The palate is cleaner than the nose would suggest with a lot of ripe berries, with high but ripe tannins and medium+ acid. Not insane length but there’s nice drive and focus on the palate with the berries and hints of citrus coming through clearly.
This is really good and evolved since the last time I’ve had it. The other bottle had gone way downhill, so maybe time to drink.
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5/5/2021 - yaCellar Likes this wine: 93 Points
PnP. I can’t endorse Vinous’s 97 pt score, but this is certainly an interesting and commanding wine. Sweet round nose of red fruits and licorice. Creamy palette with classically Italian levels of acid and silky tannins.
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4/18/2021 - Kayaking Likes this wine: 90 Points
My first experience of a wine from this region. Clear ruby color,, light body. Certainly some minerality & slate. Good intensity, dark red berry fruits. Enjoyable, however I was expecting more, lacking complexity. Will try remaiing bottles in a year or so.
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4/5/2021 - winemaker Likes this wine: 92 Points
Drinking well. The fruit hides the 15% abv. nicely. Cherry, minerally.
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3/3/2021 - dbkitc wrote: 94 Points
First time with this wine and it’s very impressive - top level QPR. Light in color. The nose is rocks, framboise and minerals galore. Light bodied with lovely depth - this is pretty special for the price. Lots of finishing tannin. This should rule in 10 years. Excited to see this evolve. Like a mix of burgundy and Barolo. You can taste the rocks. (94+?)
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2/28/2021 - RGCM Gananda Likes this wine: 92 Points
Prior bottle was nearly 16 months ago and this wine continues to evolve positively. Red and black cherry on the nose along with spices, mineral and floral qualities. Close to full bodied with red cherry upfront showing a good mix of acidity derived tart brightness and more rounded, open qualities. Mid-body brings in added density along with plum and tart red berry and strawberry. The contrast between the slightly darker middle and the brighter, more lively backside worked quite well. This density also works quite well with the backside tannins so they feel more balanced and better integrated with the fruit. Tartness (acidity), redfruit and minerals through the finish. Balance overall continues to improve and as it does so, the fruit gains is expressiveness. Should continue to improve along these lines over the next couple of years with several years beyond that at a high level. I'll plan to open my next bottle in Q1 2022.
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2/25/2021 - ahagen wrote: 93 Points
Stor vin. Trenger tid. Ga assosiasjoner til noe imellom en kjølig, ung barbaresco og en fast Gevrey-Chambertin. Best på dag 2.
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2/14/2021 - murkybird Likes this wine: 90 Points
Nice bottle of wine with weight about half way between Pinot and Grenache and some of the characteristics of both. Really sings with barbecue chicken
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2/13/2021 - robferguson1 wrote: 92 Points
Very enjoyable with plenty more time to drink and a few years to be optimal.Reminds of a Barbaresco , light but long , needs a hefty decant
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1/26/2021 - Justin S wrote: 91 Points
A very pretty wine that needs time. On PnP, the nose was wowing me already, with fresh pomegranate and crushed cherry aromas, rose, and some crushed rock. On the palate, it continued the same theme with very high toned pomengranite, cherry, and orange like high acidity. But then on the finish, it all becomes unbalanced, you get tannin and some alcoholic spice. The front and back are not integrated smoothly. 90 points because of the poor finish. Day 2: the wine's contours have softened and the finish has smoothed out considerably. 92.
Give this a good decant if drinking today. I suspect I would really enjoy less large scaled vintages of this wine, especially one lower in alcohol, but the flavors are there. And the flavors are tasty to my palate. Good QPR.
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12/11/2020 - MarcRies wrote: 93 Points
transparant, boenwas, groene kruiden, nog gesloten, fijne neus, mineraal. Zure rode besjes, fijne structuur, korrelig mondgevoel. Korrelige tannines, zuurtjes, citrus, sinaasschil, finesserijk. Afdronk zwart fruit, korrelige, net niet droogtrekkende tannines. Heerlijk!
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12/6/2020 - silton Likes this wine:
Somewhat tannic and fussy for most of day 1, roses and red fruits with a ferrous quality. Day 2 more fleshed out and balanced but not as energetic. Hold.
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11/21/2020 - jeagle wrote: 91 Points
Decanted for several hours then consumed over two days. Easily the best of several bottles I have tried, so it appears to be moving in the right direction. High toned with developing texture, juicy acidity and delicate red fruits, it suggests youthful femininity. Day one, the wine was more sassy and alive. Admittedly, it is not my preferred style of red wine, especially as winter is oncoming, but I found it interestingly enjoyable.
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11/6/2020 - PaulusLoZebra Likes this wine: 94 Points
My sixth bottle, the last one was ten months ago. It is drinking beautifully. The biggest difference since then is the more pronounced tannins; as EUGENEDINAPOLI has said, this is now reminiscent of a very good Nebbiolo from Alto Piemonte. Double-decanted and served two hours later, this needs at least that, or a single decant and a three hour delay, to show its stuff. Transparent ruby color, with a complex aromatic profile of ripe red fruits, rose petals and dried flowers. The flavor profile is outstanding, with lip-smacking acidity, medium+ body, black tea, minerals, beetroot and raw beef. A wine with lots of structure, it is extremely savory, with a hint of mid-palate sweetness and big, savory tannins. Slightly less elegant than I remember, this is a Nerello Mascalese that is turning away from its Pinot Noir-ish youth towards a decidedly Nebbiolo-ish middle age. As with previous bottles, on night two it was heftier and more savory, but less aromatic. Ideal drinking window is probably 2025-2035. Excellent QPR.
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10/13/2020 - winemaker Likes this wine: 91 Points
1st of 6. Lots of good material here. Needs more time in the cellar. Double decanted. Still not fully integrated.
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9/27/2020 - Fugu Me Likes this wine:
PnP, this was initially still a bit tight and acidic on the palate. Some aggressive swirling helped open it up. No rush on opening these.
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8/25/2020 - Eugenedinapoli Likes this wine:
Pale garnet. Earth, cherries, leather. Elevated and nimble palate, with juicy acidity and fine tannins. I don’t remember the first bottle being this good. Overall impression reminded me of an alto Piemonte Nebbiolo.
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8/1/2020 - dlcass Likes this wine: 94 Points
Striking nose of rose petals, flint; tart, acidic, bright red cherry, strawberry, dried flowers. Nice mouth feel. Light; great summer wine. Great wine for the money! Very youthful- would be nice to wait a while. I'm giving 94 over 93 due to quality for price.
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7/13/2020 - glou.sf Likes this wine: 93 Points
Tart berries, red cherries, and candies on the nose. Quite tannic with great acidity and tart red berry flavors. Rich and interesting. Nice finish. This needs more time, try again in 5 years.
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6/22/2020 - Rechrom wrote: 92 Points
Lovely bottle in nice balance and drinking very well. Youthful with the fruit and acidity to age, this is on an upward trajectory. Great food wine.
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6/14/2020 - lolo66 wrote: 94 Points
terrific acidity with bright crunhy red berry fruit with a deep fruited profile. Excellent.
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5/30/2020 - Mic Mac Likes this wine:
Beautiful wine. Needs more time.
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5/30/2020 - Saxman1984 wrote:
It took about three hours to open up. The nose revealed dried roses, cherries, tomato stem, and a whiff of volcanic smoke. The palate has both cranberries and sour cherries, good acidity, and a mineral saline nature. I enjoyed it very much, but it probably will benefit from a few more years in the bottle.
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5/16/2020 - Gerbos Likes this wine: 90 Points
Stor skillnad mot när jag drack det här vinet senast (2017). Smakerna är mer välintegrerade nu och vinet är kompakt och tätt. De enskilda smaknoterna är nu svårare att urskilja från varandra och vinet presenterar en kompott på mörka bär, viol, örter och hintar av ek i avslutningen. Klibbiga bär (i positiv bemärkelse) dröjer sig kvar i avslutningen med drag av sötma och ek.
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5/1/2020 - TannicBeast Likes this wine: 93 Points
Bright, med (-) ruby. Unfiltered. Clean, med + tart red cherry, sweet raspberry, red flowers, sweet black plum, aromatic herbs, middle eastern spices. Just a hint of oak spice from 18 mos. in large, neutral oak barrels. Somewhat St. Rita Hills Pinot-Noir-like. Dry. Fruit-forward yet tart palate, with med + to high acidity. The tannins are med and sleek. 15% abv but drinks more like 14%. Med + body, flavor intensity and length. Savory, tart lemon finish pairs great with grilled tuna or other meaty, richly flavored fish. 2014 is a great vintage at 6 years, with a long future in light of its excellent structure. This is a really thought-provoking wine and I wish I had more.
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4/3/2020 - Redback Likes this wine:
This wine has developed quite nicely since I last tasted this wine 2.5 yrs ago. Tannins still quite firm with a long finish.
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3/25/2020 - redhead6971 Likes this wine: 89 Points
This bottle was a pop and pour.The color was pale ruby with orange tint highlights and legs were fast. On the nose red berries, red carnations, dried cranberries and pomegranate dominate. On the plate more dried red fruit, dried wild berries, orange zest, gravel,ash,pumice allspice and some thyme. Finish was still tannic and tight. 2014 is considered one of the best vintages to come out of Sicily in years. Worth seeking some out.
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3/17/2020 - tcosgriff Likes this wine: 86 Points
Medium ruby color with a bouquet and flavor that is salty and vaguely fruity, with dried plums coming to mind. Quite high alcohol and untamed tannins. Clearly not a 97 as rated. Other tasters found considerable improvement with decanting and drinking a couple days later, while some recommended longer cellaring. I do have another bottle, so I can do both.
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1/31/2020 - PaulusLoZebra Likes this wine: 94 Points
This is my fifth bottle, and the biggest difference since September is an enhanced savoriness. With a 90 minute decant it is drinking beautifully. On night two it was heftier and more savory, but less aromatic. I recommend putting some aside to drink 2025-2035. It has a brilliant and transparent ruby color and is highly aromatic, especially of ripe red fruits and flowers. It has lip-smacking acidity, medium-light body, lots of fine-grained tannins, and a very savory, mineral and long finish, now showing classic Nerello Mascalese hints of raw steak and beetroot. This is an elegant, fragrant, very savory and highly structured wine built for the long haul. Excellent QPR.
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1/20/2020 - randyjc wrote: 93 Points
This wine is just so good in such a straightforward “love me” way. Bright red fruit, vibrant acidity and a prominent streak of granitic minerality from start to its lengthy finish of ripe quince and pie cherry. Just an exceptional bottle of wine.
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1/18/2020 - Pknut wrote:
A bottle in September 2019 showed beautiful fruit, cherry, raspberry and cranberry, with a lovely mouthfeel. This more recent bottle showed much less fruit and was more angular.
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11/10/2019 - RGCM Gananda Likes this wine: 92 Points
Lighter strawberry, darker raspberry along with mineral and floral notes on the nose. Full bodied (15% ABV), but for such a "big" wine, I thought it concealed the alcohol quite well. Smooth red cherry upfront along with brighter, more tart red red berries. Mid-body shows very good concentration and balance and is tied in very nicely to the backside. Picks up plum and tart red berries to go along with spices and mineral notes. Tannins here provide good structure and are very close to being fully in balance with the fruit with just some touches of dryness remaining. Usually, this wine feels deft, with pretty red fruits and lots of mineral notes. There's more concentration here than typical, but it handled quite well; kind of like a big but elegant pinot noir. Although the tannins are coming into balance quite well, this wine is not yet at peak as it should integrate a bit more with additional time as well as open up just a bit further. I might have expected (and ignored) a 97 from Suckling, but that's a pretty big miss from Vinous. Don't let that discourage you however as this is really good wine with future potential and at roughly $30 or so, represents solid QPR. Next bottle for me, Summer 2020.
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10/11/2019 - decaturwinedude wrote: 88 Points
This wine shows its 15% alcohol more than I would ideally like as there is a lot of excellent material here, it's just too big for me. That's a personal preference thing. The wine shows a lighter color and body, nice salinity, and rocky red fruit flavors. A good food wine, really nice with the hunk of parmesan we had, but I kept coming back to the weight and perceived heat of the heft of the wine.
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9/21/2019 - PaulusLoZebra Likes this wine: 94 Points
Gets better with each bottle. As I have written before, if you do not have many in your cellar then forget about them until 2022-2025, and drink to 2035+. This was double decanted yet took two hours to open up, and only reached its peak on night two. It makes me sad to think of how many bottles of this wine have been popped & poured, without the wine having the chance to show it’s stuff.
The 2014 Passorosso has a brilliant and transparent ruby color, and at its peak it is highly aromatic, with red fruits and flowers. It has lip-smacking acidity, medium-light body, lots of fine-grained tannins, and a savory, mineral and long finish. This is an elegant, fragrant, and highly structured wine built for the long haul.
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8/20/2019 - Snoman Likes this wine: 88 Points
Good, but not as great as some of the single-cantadas from this producer....
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8/18/2019 - justkeeprunin' wrote: 91 Points
fantastic value - drank my last bottle
it will continue to improve and develop complexity
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8/10/2019 - chablis28 wrote: 92 Points
Decanted for 2-1/2 hours then back into btl for wine group annual picnic and clears some sediment. Still can't envision this ever being a a 97pt wine as rated by Ian D'Agata but with the decant it show a lot more balanced. Perfect with food and while I enjoy its on its own others in the group found its acidity and tannin a little too present for their palates. I still prefer the 2015 for its more sleek profile but this has improved significantly. I've been buying and loving this producer for a long time so the 97pts rating never factored into my buying it. I'm just confounded by the wow impression & high expectations Ian had for this on release? I do think this ends up being a 93-94pt wine with a few more years.
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6/16/2019 - rocknroller wrote: 90 Points
Bright medium ruby red color. PNP, drank 2 glasses over 90 minutes. Still pretty wound up at this point. I'd tend to say it really hasn't moved much at all. Striking acidity marked by firm tannins and and volcanic like minerality. The red fruit is there dancing in the mix, but quite tart. I'm not getting much nuance currently. Brought this to my niece's grad party and drank with wood fired neapolitan pizza. Not a bad pairing, but based on previous history, there was more to come. Fast forward 48 hours and you experience where this ultimately goes. The acidity, once lion like, has now been tamed. The purity one expects is evident. Pretty red cherry, and bright red berry fruit. The tannins while ever present have relaxed considerably. The volcanic nature and minerality is now a highlight. This needs another couple years at least to show at its best on opening. I'll try to hold this for a couple years myself. 90+ to 91pts (48hrs after opening).
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6/13/2019 - Rollerball wrote: 94 Points
Profoundly gorgeous. A brightness balanced by a deep liquor-like depth that reverberates.
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6/13/2019 - Jsiegelm Likes this wine: 94 Points
Drank with spaghetti squash with Brian and Adam
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5/1/2019 - michigan dogs wrote: 87 Points
1st day tasted like a cheap Cali red blend, 2nd day showed better balance. Bottom line, I would not buy again. No complexity.
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4/20/2019 - Sniffy-Sniff wrote: 93 Points
Very much in the style of a Pinot. Beautiful bouquet, and equally delish. I like where this is now. Drink now or hold for 5 years. Case material.
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4/19/2019 - theporkrail Likes this wine: 91 Points
Crystalline translucent ruby cherry
Hints of sulphur, volcano burping after eating a plate of cherry , mineralogy striking acid line with fine but firm tannin, tartness mouthwatering and morish
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4/12/2019 - Zweder wrote:
UWS a random set of wines (@ JB): In the bouquet primary cherries and raspberries. On the palate cherries, a lot of acidity and drying in the finish. No score.
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3/19/2019 - SteveG wrote: 92 Points
Haha, I guessed luminous garnet before reading my previous note... Anyhow, not much has changed in two years. The label says 15%, the nose shows a whiff of alcohol, and the finish is very slightly hot, but the whole is delicious and fresh enough to forgive these slights which may actually reflect my own sensitivity. Excellent with sausage/escarole/beans pasta.
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3/6/2019 - Italiana Likes this wine:
Next to a glass of good California southern Rhone blend, this bottle really shone. Literally, the light through the glass was clear and brilliant, making the California wine look turbid. The Passorosso was light on its feet and danced on the tongue. Clarity and precision delivered in spades. The kind of wine I'd have any time.
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2/26/2019 - buckeye76 Likes this wine: 93 Points
This is only the second 100% Nerello Mascalese we have opened. Ruby red color and a very fragrant nose with nice long legs in the glass. Lots of fruit in the nose, cherries, raspberries, and strawberries, with some leather and floral. Cherries and plums in the flavor with a touch of spice on the finish. Medium bodied wine with nice acidity and a medium length finish. Nice accompaniment with pasta and Italian sausage.
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2/6/2019 - glou.sf Likes this wine: 94 Points
Black berries, cherries, candy, and lavender on the implements nose. Candied cherries, red fruit, and cedar on the palate. Strong tannins and pretty high acidity. Nice finish. This took a good two hours in the decanter to really shine and transformed into a very complex and interesting bottle. 94++ Wife: 94-95
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1/28/2019 - OaktownRush Likes this wine: 90 Points
Ruby color in the center and clear to the edges. Sour cherry, a little licorice and a fennel-like savory note on the nose. On the palate it's a little riper than I expected. Medium-high acid and medium tannins. It's 15% alcohol, but I wouldn't have known it if I hadn't looked.
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1/26/2019 - 560 B&W Likes this wine: 94 Points
Tasted over 2 weeks. Fascinating. Mid body, mid+ acid. 15%, but hides it well.
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1/12/2019 - Fugu Me Likes this wine:
Dark fruit, mineralogy and light acidity. So good. It’s been said before, but this is great qpr.
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12/9/2018 - Justinneal654 Likes this wine: 87 Points
Unless this bottle was flawed, it is amazing to watch the evolution of my palate in the things I like now which I did not like before, and some things I like before which I no longer appreciate. This wine has a sharp acidity, with some vibrant Cherry notes, but there is an element of Oak that is overpowering and feels forced.
I did not enjoy the strong Woody flavors, and I feel like this wine needs some strong food notes to offset the acidity and bitter finish.
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12/4/2018 - Mossrose wrote: 93 Points
What makes Etna wines like this stand out is that they make Nero Mascalese into the functional equivalent of Pinot Noir in Sicily. Lightly colored, at best a dark see through ruby. Elegant rather than heavy or powerful. Very clear and vivid flavors. Bright and lively acidity. Dryly tannic with no overt or separate sweetness. Magnificent with food partly because it melds with foods rather than ever overpowering them.
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11/24/2018 - chablis28 wrote: 90 Points
Enjoyable but still needs more time for the structure to integrate. Got to layoff for at least another year for next one. Still a bit out of balance. Much prefer 2015 at this point!
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11/19/2018 - acyso wrote: 88 Points
More Bebu (Chicago, IL): Yeah, this stuff works with pizza. We even had the right sort tonight (right, nphase?). Nice volcanic sulphur nose, with a nice mix of black and red fruit. There's a clean minerality on the palate, as well as some pleasant sweet fruit. The tannins finish with a bit of a chalky texture, and seem just a touch bigger than the wine can handle.
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11/3/2018 - gzim wrote: 90 Points
Young vibrant and very food friendly, a little grippy youth
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10/31/2018 - Fugu Me Likes this wine:
I rather agree with Nostrabacchus’ note. This is absolutely lovely and ridiculous qpr.
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10/27/2018 - NostraBacchus Likes this wine: 94 Points
Brilliant ruby color. Perfumed and aromatic notes of strawberries, raspberries, red currant, also some darker notes too, violet drops, also some smoke, dark mineral notes, menthol, as well as some leather and meaty notes. It‘s medium+ bodied, with pretty high acidity and medium tannin that is present but silky. Excellent length. A superb, aromatic and super fresh expression of Etna that combines minerality, red fruit and incredible depth with a weightless impression. Love it! (94+)
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9/30/2018 - depdoc wrote: 91 Points
Light in body, smooth, balanced.
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9/29/2018 - Eric Guido Likes this wine: 94 Points
The nose was so pretty and a bit exotic tonight, showing spicy black cherry offset by rosy floral tones, lifting minerality, spiced orange, mint leaf and hints of undergrowth. On the palate, I found soft-enveloping textures offset by zesty acidity with tart cherry, cranberry and spicy citrus. It finished long with saturating tart cherry fruit, inner florals and hints of tannin. Another great performance and making me wonder if I bought enough to see this to perfect maturity.
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8/10/2018 - PeterjW Likes this wine: 89 Points
smooth light with interesting floral palate with dark berry touches
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8/1/2018 - Rezy13 Likes this wine:
Pretty see through red core with some orange red at rim; after seeing a good bit of air this fills out nicely, liqueur of red fruit, tart cranberry and sour cherry with a volcanic overtone, nice depth, some wilting rose, high toned at first but have some patience with this; still quite tart on the palate, cranberry juice, high acid with a sunny ripe disposition, tannin structure is not as pronounced as the acid spine but enough fat to keep from being too lean, curious what a few years will give us.
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7/29/2018 - PaulusLoZebra Likes this wine: 93 Points
My third bottle. See my previous notes for details. If you don't have very many in your cellar then put this away until 2022-2035. Big, intense, highly structured; very big acid approach and fairly tannic finish. Classic Nerello Mascalese aromas; sappy, still closed and tightly wound; tremendous raw materials, but right now this lacks complexity.
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7/28/2018 - randyjc wrote: 93 Points
Wow. A wine that makes me take notice, sit up and pay attention. Pie cherry and spice nose. Soft mouthfeel. Cherry rhubarb and not-yet-ripe strawberry flavors, and really beautifully aggressive acidity - keeps your attention. Drying fine tannins clamp down on the end, though they release about 20 seconds later, making me think I should buy some more of this to store away, revisit in five to ten years. Flinty minerality that is present from initial attack an carrying across the finish. Really special wine. It is a treat to take a sip of wine while reading and immediately have attention diverted - entirely - to the wine.
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7/22/2018 - yaCellar Likes this wine: 94 Points
I don’t think this is yet a 97pt wine (per Vinous) but it’s got the stuffing for greatness. Young. Young. Young. Even after dbl decant, 6 hours slow ox, 1 hour wide decant. Others have called this period the “dumb phase” for this wine. I generally agree. Still a lot of fun. It’s like an energetic, boisterous Italian Pinot.
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6/26/2018 - Cote d'Or wrote:
PopnPour, tasted over 2 hrs
-nearly semi-translucent dark red with purple tinge
-stony fresh dark red/black fruit
-med/med+ acidity, sappy focused med/med- weight stony dark red/black fruits tar, med+ tannins quite prominent
-needs several years to shed some tannic structure
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6/16/2018 - PacoHigon Likes this wine:
Pues en la cata a ciegas lo pillamos y no es que yo haya catado muchos Nerello Mascalese. Con algo menos de capa que el tinto precedente. Muestra atractivos toques de pedernal, algo de violetas y un fondo de frutilla roja del bosque. En boca tiene buen ataque y aunque aparece ligero en el paso presenta un tanino firme, muy buena acidez, buenos amargos, estructura ligera pero firme y notable persistencia. Me encantó.
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6/15/2018 - Italiana Likes this wine:
Well worth the critics' points, and a relative bargain to boot. Light red. Quite young with cherry fruit dominating. Elegant. A little way to go toward tannin integration. Lovely acidity.
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5/28/2018 - PeterjW Likes this wine: 92 Points
blanked light but with good tannin and fruit
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5/17/2018 - ewsds Does not like this wine: 87 Points
I'm not sure I "get" this wine. I've tried it a few times and none of them were a positive experience. Unbalanced, thin and acidic, and seemingly lacking body, despite its 14.5% abv. frame. I don't understand the high critical scores.
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5/16/2018 - depdoc wrote: 88 Points
Very light weight. From the things written about this wine, I suspect it is in a dumb period. Hopefully will improve with time.
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4/3/2018 - PaulusLoZebra Likes this wine: 91 Points
I am convinced that this is in a "dumb" period. The wine is completely introverted. See my notes from October 2017, they apply also to this bottle but if anything this one is more closed.
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3/22/2018 - VinCapitan Likes this wine: 94 Points
fairy floss early but blows away and pink flowers, crunchy red cherry, black olive and hard aniseed flow, charred BBQ, some hard tannin but the flavour grabs and runs, time will be kind
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3/19/2018 - Justinneal654 wrote: 90 Points
Bold sweet fruit nose with aromas of minerality and graphite. Tinge of sweet on early palate, blueberry hints and tannins emerge toward the middle. Earthy core with fruits orbiting including cherry.
High acidity throughout.
Finish is raisin, pepper and strong tannins.
Brilliant with pizza topped with smoked bacon.
If it weren't so good with pizza sauce I would have sworn it was a pinot noir!
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3/9/2018 - soyhead wrote:
nose - chestnut, dusty
mouth - a complex wine which reminds me of a good burgundy. mid bodied at most, nicely mineral, quite dry, and loaded with bitter red fruits such as cranberry, cherry, and rosehip. long finish.
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3/2/2018 - coremill wrote: 90 Points
Ripe red cherry fruit with a nice smoky, earthy component. Rich and expansive while maintaining a sense of elegance. Carries the high alcohol well, I hardly noticed it. Not sure I get D'Agata's crazy high score, but this is a very good wine.
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2/25/2018 - Tubulus wrote: 92 Points
Been waiting to try a bottle of this, obviously been some mild controversy, between Ian's super-high score and much more measured TN's here and elsewhere.
I usually don't notice color very much, but this one had a really pretty garnet color. The palate is lots of dark cherry, medium body. The alcohol is not noticeable at all at the beginning, though after a few hours open it pops up a little on the nose and finish (and also the midpalate is shutting down a little). Medium acidity. It's very fun to drink, goes nicely with food or without. Does it speak to me of Mt. Etna? I dunno. You could have said this was a middle of the road high-quality California pinot and I would have believed you. But it IS quite delicious.
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1/16/2018 - nectar14 Likes this wine:
Delicious, mineral-ash tinged and stony. Lots of punch and fruit purity as well, long finish.
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1/14/2018 - bonedoc wrote: 90 Points
This is a young, fun, slightly sweet wine without any complexity, but I don’t see anything serious here. Max score is 90/91 without more potential. Hold 1-2 yrs so wine can come together then drink over 5.
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1/5/2018 - the godfather wrote:
From magnum, tasty
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1/1/2018 - gzim Likes this wine: 88 Points
same as last... Red fruit, plenty of zip
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12/31/2017 - nphase Likes this wine: 89 Points
Have typically loved this with pizza, but not sure we had the right sort of pizza for it tonight.
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12/15/2017 - bevetroppo Does not like this wine:
I happened to see a write up from Ian D'Agata about this wine that was completely over the top (97 pts!!!), right after I saw an offer for under $30 a bottle. If you don't know him, D'Agata now writes for the Vinous empire, but I hold him in the highest regard for his magnificent achievement, the book Native Grapes of Italy, which is a required resource for anyone who loves Italian Wine.
I bought 6 bottles online and eagerly unpacked them when the shipment arrived. Glancing at the bottle I happened to notice it was labeled 15% alcohol, and my heart sank. I have a growing love for Etna, but had never seen one with that kind of sledgehammer weight. I went quickly back to the review to see if I had missed anything telltale, but it said, "Creamy-sweet but amazingly light on its feet," which is language I've never seen or experienced in a 15% wine from any geography. Out the window went any expectation that it could be "Burgundian." While opening the bottle my emotions thus twitched between joyful anticipation and thinly veiled dread.
The color was a promisingly limpid garnet red. But the nose and flavor profile were overwrought with stalky, stemmy aromas I've occasionally experienced in both Burgundy and the Northern Rhone, which I probably mistakenly associate with the use of whole clusters. Like the famous definition of obscenity, I know it when I smell it, even if I can't define it.
There's a lot of stuff going on elsewhere in the wine, but to be honest, I don't have the energy to suss it out when the stalky overtones are so pronounced. I have other bottles and I'm going to cross my fingers this is atypical given the glowing reviews. I will say it handles the alcohol impressively and would never have guessed 15% but that's the best I can do today.
Two final thoughts. First, I confirmed, we're in the middle of three solid biodynamic leaf days. So next bottle goes on a fruit day for sure. Good to support or debunk that theory. Second, I wonder if I have a genetic sensitivity to this yet unverified component, like the way some people do with cilantro. Hard to prove without intensive analyzation of the winemaking every time I experience it, so that's my new task.
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12/11/2017 - gzim Likes this wine: 88 Points
Bright red berries, lots of lift. Young, fresh with zip
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12/4/2017 - ESTEELE90 Likes this wine:
Pnp. Pours a day-bright translucent red in the glass. Nose and palate are quite unusual brimming with intense balsamic syrup drizzled over ripe strawberries and raspberries, herbaceous underbrush, loamy earth, and volcanic rocks. Midpalate is light on its feet yet full and ripe with tame tannins and judicious acidity. The long finish is pleasant and complex adding a citrus/amaro twist. I didn't find the alcohol to be out of place here, but maybe it's because I drank it on the cooler side at 58 degrees.
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11/26/2017 - Saxman1984 wrote:
This is a fine wine in need of time. I find the nose primary with cherry and floral notes. Cherry is dominant on the palate and the tannins need a little time. I believe this wine will improve with a few more years under cork.
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11/19/2017 - rocknroller wrote: 90 Points
Small pour; consistent with my recent detailed note. Very nice.
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11/19/2017 - chablis28 wrote: 92 Points
Enjoyable but still needs more time for the structure to integrate. Got to layoff for at least a year for next one.
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11/19/2017 - Rollerball wrote:
Give this a lot of air or another year to chill. 2019-2025
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11/18/2017 - Jdwinedrinker wrote:
Nice wine, drinking better on day 2.
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11/15/2017 - Rechrom wrote: 92 Points
Drinking surprisingly well after a one hour decant. Heat initially, but with air the fruit came forward. Dark fruits, some pepper notes, savory. Nice nose. Clean on the finish. Balance and stuffing to improve. best with food now, but open enough to enjoy on its own.
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10/8/2017 - silton Likes this wine: 93 Points
The most accessible Passopisciaro I've had to date, suave and expansive with black cherry fruit extended by a drop of balsamic and a strong mineral undertone. A superb showing, a just-ripe middle palate with freshness and and aromatic complexity. A little less tannin seems to have set this free.
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10/7/2017 - PaulusLoZebra Likes this wine: 92 Points
Consumed over two nights, much better on night two, and I have no doubt that the wine should be cellared for another 3 years, with peak drinking window 2020-2028. 2012s are drinking perfectly right now.
On night one, with 45 minutes of air, it was an excellent entry level Etna Rosso, stylistically on the lighter side, with structure, cut, delineation, lift; bright red fruits and a long, mineral finish with a tart backbone and firm but pleasant tannins. On night two it had become a bigger and more serious wine, showing all the same structure as night one, but adding sweetness and a meaty, savory character, and a lovely complexity. The one troubling note is the heat, as the alcohol made itself felt as it rarely does on a fine Etna. Anyway, I'm feeling very good about the wine and where it is headed, but I do think it is too young for drinking now.
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10/2/2017 - R.H. Likes this wine:
Bright medium red. Decanted and drank over two days. Aromas of red fruit the gained herbs complexity. Tasted of tart sour cherry and mint. The alcohol is not overwhelming but the entire package comes across a bit hot
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9/17/2017 - David Paris (dbp) wrote: 90 Points
A whopping 15% alcohol on this wine. Color does look typical Nerello. The aromas are certainly heavy and concentrated, feeling a little boozy, but showing notes of herbs, tar and volcanic ash. Most certainly feels modern on the nose, but that volcanic ash is what keeps it in place, even if the aroma is a little confusing of place. Palate texture is on the thin side of things, with rich concentrated lava soil notes, heavy vanilla extract, puckering smooth tannins, rich tart acid and flavors of puckering lemon tannins. Rich tannin and acid on the finish. Puckering and lean, showing more lovely volcanic notion coupled with an odd shrimp shell on consecutive sips. Thankfully the 15% alcohol doesn't overpower the palate nor the finish. It's actually very nice purity on the finish showing a beautiful expression of Etna. I really appreciate how light in body this is as it still allows it to express a lighter expression and exuberance on the palate and finish. It's that intensity on the finish that makes this enjoyable and it wouldn't be there if this was heavy in expression. Still, I get nothing close on the enjoyment scale to what Ian D'Agata did.
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9/13/2017 - rocknroller wrote: 90 Points
Pizza Night in the North Loop (David's Place, Mpls): Medium red color. Decanted for about 30 minutes and then had open for an hour plus before drinking. Drank 1 glass over 90 minutes plus. True Confessions 1.0, I did not think a lot of this the first night. I found it far to herbal for my tastes, angular, and very tannic - in fact I wrote "meh" in the margin of my notes. There was some decent fruit there, choke cherry, strawberry, and though i found the tannins to be somewhat "pretty" they were very gripping. I would have scored this 87 to maybe 88pts at that point. I was questioning myself for having bought more too. Well 48 hours later, I'm sitting here sipping this by itself (ie, no food - at the moment) and wow, what a pleasant transformation. Gone is all that herbaceousness, gone is the angularity and flashes of alcohol. The tannins have softened and become pleasing and complimentary. The fruit really shows some purity and finesse and the nose also displays a very nice dried flower topnote. I knew this was young, but I'm happy to confirm that the evolution is coming. 90+pts.
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9/13/2017 - chablis28 wrote: 92 Points
Kevin's btl tonight. I've been disappointed with my first couple of these but tonight's btl seemed like it was more balanced and not quite the fruit bomb of previous btls. I didn't give this enough attention but tonight because the small group was in full swing jabber mode but I left feeling more encouraged than with my other 2014s. Ill open one of mine again before the end of the year. Think, this one saw some air as it showed up with the cork already pulled.
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9/9/2017 - Redback Likes this wine:
Decanted for a few hour. Rich texture. Firm tannins. Cherry/ Dark berries, Italian herbs and a pleasant campfire after-taste. I like it.
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9/5/2017 - GEMon Likes this wine: 92 Points
Scents of red fruits with hints of ash, minerals, and vanilla. There's some sour cherry on the palate. The tannins and acidity are noticeable, but everything is balanced. There are some interesting mineral notes on the palate. Very good.
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8/30/2017 - frenchiecagowine Likes this wine: 89 Points
Started off with showing a lot of acidity after opening. But after 3-4 days it showed a better picture. Nose is intense, meaty and mineral. On the palate the wine shows even more minerality, tart but ripe red berries, and earthiness. It finishes long but on the alcohol. It's a fairly intense wine that gets enhanced by the right food pairing, which I believe is the key here, and which is why i give it this score. I think i was not able to reveal its best self. It's built to age and I'd love to try it again in 10 years.
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8/28/2017 - soyhead wrote:
Nose - grapefruit (!), smoke
Mouth - smooth round very juicy and lovely ripe red fruits verging on lush and sappy while maintaining a very clean and pure midpalate. Dark fruited licorice comes to mind. Combines power with finesse. This is an excellent wine.
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8/20/2017 - Rezy13 Likes this wine:
Wine at the Lake (Lake Lanier, GA): Brilliant ruby red; intense and focused liqueur like cherry, raspberry, cranberry, lots of pent up fruit here, volcanic and smoky sulfur notes surround, good fat to body- not as much as the single vineyards though, fine and soft mineral to this, tannins are rounded and easier than many at this age, alcohol is well hidden even at 15%; good, give it some time, also serve a litlte bit cooler.
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7/28/2017 - Drankard wrote:
Very tight and not giving much tonight. Difficult to judge its alleged greatness.
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7/22/2017 - Puteljen! wrote: 93 Points
Great stuff! See previous note
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7/22/2017 - rjquillin Likes this wine:
Needs plenty of air, or years. Gonna grab additional. Yes, it was good.
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7/22/2017 - Eric Guido Likes this wine: 94 Points
The nose was intense, spicy and wonderfully lifted with black cherry offset by rosy floral tones, mint, spiced orange, crushed stone and hints of black earth. On the palate, I found silky textures contrasted by a combination of tart cherry, cranberry and zesty acidity along with a spicy citrus spring to its step--the purity here was incredible as well. It finished remarkably long with saturating tart cherry fruit, inner florals and hard candies. A hint of tannin lingered through the aftermath assuring that this is not only amazing tonight, but sure to get even better over time. I’m excited to watch it evolve throughout the evening.
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7/20/2017 - glou.sf Likes this wine: 93 Points
Strawberries, cherries, red fruit, and sage on the nose. Good acidity with sour cherries, red berries, and herbs on the palate. Medium+ tannins. Good finish.
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7/11/2017 - In vino potestus est wrote:
My second bottle. This time: "sour, sour, sour...to the Max". Closed nose. Tight palate. Extreme palate of only sour cherries. The acidity overwhelms the fruit on this bottle and I am not finding this all that enjoyable. Cellar time may not resolve this and I strongly disagree with the WA score of 97. The line between this wine and cherry vinegar is very, very thin. Based on this disappointing showing, I will not revisit for at least one year.
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6/3/2017 - srh Likes this wine:
Italian Reds (Vintage Wines Ltd., San Diego, CA): 15% ABV; 3,066 cases apparently produced.
N: Very slightly closed; An intriguing mix of cherries & minerals, quite poss forest floor?
P: LM, *poss* Med, body; Almost swtish frt met by an astringent pucker which slowly, somewhat mitigates as it leads into a fairly LONG finish with a VERY slight tangy/swtness to the dusty tannins. NEEDS 2 yrs, I'm guessing, then drinking over the ff'ing several, quite poss longer. A very nicely balanced, potentially elegant style. 97 pts Vinous (D'Agata), 92 WA, 91 Decanter (Brook), 90 ea WS & WE @ $39, and 17/20 Jancis Robinson (Speller). [As of early Apr '20, wine-searcher still shows 3 sources @ $40 & $44].
Note: Also tasted on 2/18 & 4/1/17
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5/14/2017 - ducster72 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Heavenly nose, but tight. Air helped take some of the edge off the tannins, but this will be a lot better with a few years in the cellar. More red fruited than black with a bit of ash and spice. Really looking forward to following this one over the next 3-5 years.
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5/2/2017 - Mossrose wrote: 92 Points
If the 2014 deserved its astronomical 97 point rating from Ian D'Agata in Vinous, it should tower over previous vintages. However, tasted side by side with the 2010 rosso, the 2010 is significantly better tasting. One of the biggest differences is that the 2014 has an excessively sour acidity, whereas the 2010's acidity is rounded and far better integrated. The other main difference is that the 2014 has tannin much more grippy and astringent. The main fruit in the 2014 is sour cherry, whereas the 2010 is closer to sweet cherry. The texture of the 2010 is more caressing as opposed to the more prickly 2014. Except for the acidity, both wines were equally concentrated. While the 2014 will doubtless improve with age, little in it now suggests it be will significantly superior in 4 years to what the 2010 is now.
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5/2/2017 - gzim Likes this wine:
A bit on the sour cherry side... to be fair, this was opened within an hour of being delivered... so being shaken up might have some effect.
Nice medium - light red fruit, on the sour side with some floral and mineral aspect.
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4/22/2017 - David J Cooper wrote: 88 Points
Very clear light red. Intense nose, candied cherry, cranberry, thyme and a sort of cherry syrup thing. Nice cherry and berry flavours and a slightly hot dry finish.
Not like the 09 or the 05. Which were a fair bit more elegant. Now this wine was very young so improvement is possible but never see this being a 97 pointer.
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4/22/2017 - SteveG wrote: 91 Points
Luminous garnet. The nose is blackberry, graphite, peppercorns, just the barest alcohol. The palate enters tart and fresh, much redder than the nose, juicy and ripe and bright-textured. The finish is in line with the palate, a little spicy and medium-long. This wine seems quite young but also totally drinkable now.
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4/18/2017 - In vino potestus est Likes this wine: 91 Points
My first taste of this wine. Light ruby in color. Beautiful nose of cherry wood, vanilla and earth. Light body. Good balance. Tart cherry/strawberry flavors with short, astringent finish.
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4/14/2017 - nicefish wrote: 92 Points
This bottle showed beautifully tonight. Consistent with other comments here, the vintage has a little more bass than typically found, but it's very nicely balanced.
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4/1/2017 - srh Likes this wine:
Unthemed Mixed Reds/Regions (Vintage Wines Ltd., San Diego, CA): 15% ABV; 3,066 cases apparently produced.
N: Very slightly closed; Init earthiness SOMEWHAT yields to minerality with undertones of cherries
P: Med body; Very NICE frt on front quickly met by an astringent pucker which surprises with the degree to which it resolves by the LONG, very, VERY slightly bitterish finish. Deserves/NEEDS 2 yrs more, then a potential powerhouse? 97 pts Vinous (D'Agata), 92 WA, 91 Decanter (Brook), 90 ea WS & WE @ $39, and 17/20 Jancis Robinson (Speller). [As of late Feb '20, wine-searcher still shows several sources from $40-$44].
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3/17/2017 - chablis28 wrote: 90 Points
PnP in Riedel Burg glass and left to slow ox for 30 minutes or so before my first sip. I've said it before, for me, Passopisciaro is kind of a mythical combination of Burgundy and Piedmont. Tonight's btl swung from being fruit forward and riper like last time to seeming more old school Piedmonte Barolo like tonight. It showed more grip and balsamic notes than Chambolle like pretty, lacy red fruit. This is a unique Passopisciaro vintage from any other I've had since I first drank these back with the 2005 vintage. That I can remember, anyway. Its a work in progress and where it will end up is still up for grabs. Tonight it swung back and forth from balanced and enjoyable to a little grumpy stern. I'll try to lay off these for six months and see where it goes. One thing is for sure this, is truly a unique terroir driven wine I don't know you get from anywhere else than the slopes of Mt Etna. I enjoy it every year and its an auto pilot buy for me. A stellar value at around $28 - $32.
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3/14/2017 - Rieslingfan wrote:
This is a very pleasant wine, but it is completely anonymous. It could be from anywhere. I see it as a crowd pleaser, but not a wine that expresses and sense of place. Ripe red cherry liqueur is the dominant aromatic and flavor element, with not much to back it up. Throw in 15% alcohol, and it's a cocktail beverage.
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3/11/2017 - Finare Vinare wrote: 91 Points
Burgundian, yes, albeit with a few drops of barolo and châteauneuf thrown in for good measure. The nose is youthful with aromas of red cherries and raspberries against a backdrop of lava and wood. For now, the structure is a bit tight, restrained by the oak, even though the flavours are not toasted. The alcohol is definitely high (15% abv) but not burning. Stylewise a tad too polished. Needs a few years to loosen up and develop more expression of terroir.
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3/8/2017 - doctornoah Likes this wine: 91 Points
Lovely and fragrant. A bit tight on opening, but then some nice cherry liqueur comes through, and some lightly floral notes. Good acidity and fairly firm but fine-grained tannins on finish. Would expect this to improve for a decade or more and end up like those Calabretta's I love, but with a bit less brett.
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2/24/2017 - Puteljen! Likes this wine: 93 Points
Wonderfully aromatic nose with violets, lavender, red berries, cherry, warm herbs and warm, cruched stone. On the palate lovely, lush, still primary and a bit sweet but quite elegant fruit, intense mineral feeling and medium+ acidity. Well integrated, rounded tannins. Could perhaps wish for a bit more staying power, the finish is, if not short, at least not very long. But nevertheless - a most impressive showing. Great wine!
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2/18/2017 - srh Likes this wine:
Winebar [7 Reds] from 2/17/17 (Vintage Wines Ltd., San Diego, CA): 15% ABV; 3,066 cases apparently produced.
N: Earth (volcanic aspects?) atop berries/spice, the latter 2 coming forward with addt'l air/swirling
P: Med body; Nice frt met by an astringent pucker that only somewhat irons itself out by the LONG, tangy finish. I'm thinking most would want to cellar this into '19, then drink for 3+ yrs thereafter? For me, at least, the style reminded me of a Chianti Classico, though with a somewhat different flavor profile. 97 pts Vinous (D'Agata), 92 WA, 91 Decanter (Brook), 90 ea WS & WE @ $39, and 17/20 Jancis Robinson (Speller). [As of late Mar '20, wine-searcher still shows 4 sources from $37-$44].
Addendum: Also tasted on 4/1/17
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2/3/2017 - chablis28 wrote: 91 Points
Been buying and drinking this wine non stop for around 10 vintages. This is the biggest score I've seen yet from a critic and I'm not quite sure why? This shows a little riper, richer and texturally smoother than most vintages like 2010, for example, so maybe that's driving Ian D'Agata's 97pt score? For me this is just another fine vintage of Passopisciaro and, like most others, likely ends up around 93-94pts for me when fully realized. A little baby fat today. This is one of the very few wines I ever buy more than 3 btls of. The $30ish price tag always makes Passopisciaro one of the best values in red wine. Its a unique wine with both Burgundy and Piedmont characteristics on display but still its own unique wine. The tannins are always in check and the wine superbly balanced, etheral and red fruited. I, far and away,prefer it to any other wine from Sicily. I love the weight, minerality and finesse as always. So now I own 8 btls of a newly minted 97pt wine that is, for me, just another somewhat riper richer version of the wine I love year in year out. Its fun though to drink a loved producer across vintages and this is a fun btl. Tonight, PnP in Burg glass and slow ox for 45 minutes or so before dinner tonight. Delicious and great, as always! Only gripe, its hard to remember how to spell the name! How can the Alc be 15%? Feels, taste & smells more like 12-13%. Here's hoping the whopper score doesn't drive up the price on one of my favorite, previously, relatively under the radar, reds!
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