Passopisciaro: The Vision of Andrea Franchetti
When Andrea Franchetti arrived on Mount Etna in 2000, the mountain was not the glamorous wine destination it is today. It was a wild, forgotten frontier, dotted with abandoned vineyards and ancient stone terraces crumbling under the weight of neglect. But Franchetti, a visionary who had already created a cult legend in Tuscany with Tenuta di Trinoro, saw something no one else did.
He saw the Contrade.
Long before it was written into the DOC regulations, Franchetti understood that Etna was not one monolithic terroir. He realized that a lava flow from 1947 creates a completely different wine than a lava flow from 1614. He understood that 500 meters of altitude produces a different Nerello Mascalese than 1,000 meters. He began bottling his wines by "Contrada" (district/cru), effectively creating the Grand Cru map of Etna that we use today.
Although Andrea passed away in 2021, his spirit remains in every bottle. Passopisciaro is not just a winery; it is an architectural study of the volcano. These are wines of extreme elevation, ancient ungrafted vines, and a piercing, luminous intensity that belongs only to Etna.
Here is the new collection from the master of the mountain.
The Whites: Chardonnay on the Roof of Europe
Franchetti famously planted Chardonnay on steep, high-altitude terraces, convinced that the mineral intensity of the volcano could rival the limestone of Burgundy. He was right.
2023 Passopisciaro "Passobianco" Terre Siciliane (Pre-Arrival) $44.99 95JS This is 100% Chardonnay grown between 850 and 1,000 meters above sea level. Forget oaky, buttery Chardonnay; this is liquid rock. It is sharp, vertical, and driven by a tropical luminosity—notes of dragon fruit, lemon zest, and white flowers—anchored by a deep, savory vein of volcanic salt. It is one of the most unique white wines in Italy.
2022 Passopisciaro "Contrada PC" Terre Siciliane (Pre-Arrival) $49.99. 95JS 94DC 94WA 93VN If Passobianco is the village wine, "PC" is the Grand Cru. Sourced from a tiny parcel of Chardonnay on a steep, terraced slope at 900 meters, this is a wine of profound density and silence. It is richer and more textured than the Passobianco, with layers of beeswax, flint, and ripe orchard fruit. It possesses a vibrating energy and a finish that lasts for minutes.
The Benchmark Red
2024 Passopisciaro Etna Rosso (Pre-Arrival) $44.99 This is the wine that introduced the world to the modern elegance of Etna. A blend of old-vine Nerello Mascalese from various altitudes, it is the perfect snapshot of the vintage. The 2024 is bright, nervous, and aromatic, bursting with wild strawberry, ash, and dried herbs. It has the ethereal transparency of Pinot Noir but the tannic grip of Nebbiolo—the signature paradox of Etna Rosso.
The Contrada Crus: A Study in Lava
This is the heart of the Franchetti legacy: single-vineyard Nerello Mascalese wines that prove just how diverse this mountain really is.
2023 Passopisciaro "Contrada C" Etna Rosso (Pre-Arrival) $49.99 93VN The lowest of the crus at 550 meters, sitting on a thin layer of lava over a bed of limestone. This unique soil composition gives "C" a fuller, rounder, and more generous profile. It is the most approachable of the single vineyards, offering ripe red berry fruit and a fleshy texture that feels welcoming and warm.
2024 Passopisciaro "Contrada S" Etna Rosso (Pre-Arrival) $49.99 95JS 95VN "Sciaranuova" means "New Lava." Located at 850 meters on a flow from the 1600s, this vineyard produces wines of dark, brooding intensity. "S" is savory, spicy, and ferrous, with notes of blood orange, iron, and black tea. It has a firm tannic backbone and a distinct balsamic lift. A wine of structure and depth.
2023 Passopisciaro "Contrada G" Etna Rosso (Pre-Arrival) $49.99 96JS 94DC 94VN This is one of the highest red wine vineyards in Europe, sitting between 800 and 1,000 meters. Guardiola is all about tension and nerve. The soil here is very poor, resulting in a wine that is lean, precise, and razor-sharp. It is less about fruit and more about crushed rock, smoke, and vertical acidity. A wine for purists.
2023 Passopisciaro "Contrada R" Etna Rosso (Pre-Arrival) $49.99 96JS 94VN The highest of them all, pushing the absolute limit of where Nerello Mascalese can ripen (over 1,000 meters). "R" is the most ethereal and delicate of the crus. It is pale in color but incredibly intense in perfume, smelling of wild mint, mountain flowers, and volcanic ash. On the palate, it is wiry and electric. This is wine from the edge of the sky.