2014 Contrada Guardiola
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Tasting notes
A short and relatively cool vintage but still considered much better than in the north and in large parts of central Italy. ‘A cool year, one of the coolest years we can remember and with a very late harvest and we considered it a difficult vintage. But in actual fact these cool vintages turn out to be very complex.’ Raspberry nose of enormous depth. Perfumed, fine cranberry nose with the merest suggestion of cinnamon bark and with aeration a little oak. Surprisingly little if any tertiary aromas, just a touch of tobacco leaf. Racy raspberry fruit palate that is super-light of touch yet very long. Gritty tannins anchor the racy fruit on the finish. (WS)
Critic scores
Average Score
Walter Speller, jancisrobinson.com
Monica Larner, Wine Advocate
More reviews and scores
The 2014 Contrada G (100% Nerello Mascalese from the Guardiola vineyard) is a beautiful wine that offers a deep inner sense of volcanic winemaking. The wine's aromas are so distinct with crushed granite, flint and campfire ash. There are subtle fruit tones that recall dried cherry and pressed blackberry. Smoke, tar and spice make up the fiery and lively personality that this wine displays so generously.
About the producer
Tenuta di Passopisciaro is the Etna estate owned by Andrea Franchetti, one of Italy’s pioneering winemakers who founded the Super Tuscan estate Tenuta di Trinoro, before becoming instrumental in Mount Etna’s wine renaissance with his Passopisciaro estate.