94 Antonio Galloni - Vinous

"The 2010 Passopisciaro is deceptively mid-weight, but behind the light color and seeming fleeting structure lies a deeply expressive core of perfumed red berries, crushed rocks, flowers and mint. A burst of deep salinity frames the bracing finish. Quite simply, this is a stunning wine. Think of the Passopisciaro as a cross of Chambolle-Musigny and Gevrey-Chambertin and Gattinara. The Passopisciaro bottling is made from parcels in Guardiola and smaller pieces that aren’t large enough to be bottled separately. Anticipated maturity: 2013-2020. Andrea Franchetti describes 2010 as a cold year on the Etna that yielded wines of energy and cut. That is certainly the recurring theme in this set of new releases. Once again, Franchetti has produced a number of wines that set the bar for what can be achieved on the Etna. This is a stunning set of new releases."