Passopisciaro is both a wine town on the north slope of Mount Etna and the common name of Andrea Franchetti’s winery just outside of town. He arrived on Mount Etna from Tuscany in 2000 and helped launch and lead the wine renaissance there. Farming is organic. 'Passorosso' is 100% nerello mascalese blended from 80-110 year-old vines in five different contrade (vineyard areas) at 500 to 800 meters around the town of Passopisciaro. It ferments for 15 days in steel vats and ages for 18 months in a combination of concrete vats and large oak barrels. The wine is not filtered. Notice the beautiful pale ruby color - that’s Etna nerello mascalese. It tastes of red cherries and black volcanoes. There are delicate tannins, high-toned acidity, and an overall sense of unforced elegance. For an Etna twist on an Italian classic, try it with spaghetti with tomato sauce finished with chopped pistachios. (The Bronte area of western Etna is famous for its pistachios, which locals use in many dishes, both savory and sweet. California pistachios are different but work well, too.) It’s also a red wine that’s light enough to drink with heartier fish dishes.
