Passopisciaro Contrada PC Passochianche Terre Siciliane IGT, Sicily, Italy 2022

In 2000 Andrea Franchetti decided to restore an old farm and cellars on the slopes of Mount Etna, an active volcano in northeastern Sicily. The winery sits at about a thousand meters of altitude above the small wine town of Passopisciaro in the district of Castiglione di Sicilia, on the northern slope of the volcano. His first task was to clear and restore long-abandoned terraces of ancient vines on the northern slopes of the mountain, replanting at a density of 12,000 vines per hectare on thin lavic soil. His arrival on Etna helped to initiate the renaissance of viticulture on the mountain and an international discovery of the wines of Etna. At Passopisciaro, he focuses on the native grape Nerello Mascalese and its various expressions of terroir and altitudes through a series of crus, as well as the varieties Chardonnay, Petit Verdot, and Cesanese d’Affile.

Contrada PC is a mountain Chardonnay with a long ageing potential. The first vintage produced was 2018. The wine comes from Passochianche, a minuscule terrace parcel lying at 870-1000 m / 2854 – 3116 ft a.s.l, just above the main estate of Passopisciaro.

"Made with Chardonnay that is cultivated at an extreme 900 to 1,000 meters above sea level, this is a very special wine. The Passopisciaro 2022 Contrada PC is very attractive off the bat with a beautiful combination of white flower, candied pear, spice and crushed stone. The wine offers intensity and brightness with a firm, almost salty finish. This 5,600-bottle release is fermented in oak casks and aged in wood for 10 months (with six months on the lees)." Wine Advocate 94+