2012 Contrada Sciaranuova

100% Nerello Mascalese from the Contrada Sciaranuova and from a hot and dry year with no rain from May to October. The drought more than the heat made the vines shut down. While some of the grapes dried out on the vines due to the heat, at Passopisciaro they delayed harvesting until the first rain fell and after two days, on 23 October, when the sugar and acidity levels finally had become more balanced, the grapes were harvested. Fermented in stainless steel with a total skin-contact time of 10 days, and MLF and 18 months of ageing in large oak casks. Developed, and just mid ruby with bricky rim. A rich nose of enormous depth. Layers and layers of fruit that emerge with aeration. No signs of age at all on the nose. Lots of rich but at the same time elegant fruit with bags of fine-grained tannins. This has 15.5% alcohol but it goes completely unnoticed, a huge structure combines with enormous length. (WS)

The 2012 Contrada S is a silky wine with a high dose of simpatia that creeps up on you slowly. Contrada Sciaranuova (hence the "S") is a high altitude vineyard located inside a valley made by a relatively new lava flows. The soil consists of volcanic soil with flaky carbon, gravel and pumice. The wine shows depth and great balance with wild berries, back current, smoke and grilled herb. Of Franchetti's single vineyard wines, this is the most direct and smooth in delivery. Like all the other IGT Terre Siciliane Nerello Mascalese wines in this series, Contrada S is aged in botte grande for 18 months. This allows for a slow and steady evolution.

At 850 m on relatively new lava that has been transformed into thick gravel. They own 1 ha and claim the wine tastes of fermented hay. Mid crimson. Quite open and charming on the nose. Lots of rumbustious fruit and richness. Then a very dry, relatively tart finish. Lots of stony elements here. Still a little too gawky to lap up. Needs to integrate a bit more. (JR)