Passopisciaro Contrada P Porcaria, Sicily, Italy 2022

Passopisciaro produces six different bottlings of nerello mascalese, the native grape to Mt. Etna, in order to showcase the profound differences in the terroir – lava flow, aspect, and altitude – of the various Contrade that we work with. The vines are all between 70-100 years old, and the nerello harvest typically occurs at the end of October/early November. The wines undergo fermentation in steel vats, followed by malolactic and 18 months aging in large neutral oak barrels; this minimal intervention approach to winemaking allows the differences in terroir to shine. We started bottling the contrada wines separately in 2008, with a label change in 2009.

Contrada Porcaria is a large old domain at 650 m (2,100 ft) a.s.l. and is considered Mount Etna’s famous and sought-after contrade because of the lush, robust wines it produces. The soil is made of a frail sheet of lava that splinters under one’s feet. We make wine from 1.5 hectares that we own within this cru.

“Spicy and mineral in style, the 2022 Contrada Porcaria opens with a whiff of white smoke, blowing off to reveal dried strawberries and rubbed sage. It’s soft-textured with medium-bodied weight, offset by zesty acidity, crisp minerality and tart wild berry fruits. It finishes with a tart concentration and edgy tannins yet maintains fantastic freshness. Due to hail at the beginning of August, the 2022 was harvested ten days earlier than usual, with a 25% reduction in yields. Passopisciaro made sure to use all hand-sorting, berry by berry, and cut down on maceration times to ensure the quality of the wine.” Vinous 93