Passopisciaro 'Passobianco' Terre Siciliane IGT, Sicily, Italy 2020

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.

Instead of the indigenous Carricante, which grows on the eastern side of the volcano, Passobianco is made of 100% Chardonnay. When Franchetti arrived on Mt. Etna, he planted 4 hectares of the grape on steep terraces between 850 and 1,000 meters /2,600 and 3,300 feet above sea level in Contrada Guardiola, in very loose,  deep, powder like lava that is rich in minerals. We began making this wine in 2007, and it is formerly known as Guardiola bianco.

 “This is Chardonnay from Etna with vines planted up to 1,000 meters in elevation on the steep flanks of the mighty Sicilian volcano. The 2020 Passobianco is glossy and bright with generous tones of orchard fruit, almond marzipan and saffron. There are also distant mineral tones."  Monica Larner, Robertparker.com, 93points