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Contrada Rampante 2018 75cl

IGT | Terre Siciliane | Sicily | Italy
CHF 50.80
Critics scores
91 Robert Parker
Here's a classic "old school" Etna red. From the Contrada Rampante in Castiglione di Sicilia, the Passopisciaro Vini Franchetti 2018 Contrada R opens to a lean garnet color and light ruby highlights. There is a lot of energy and punchy brightness in this wine, mostly fueled by those distinctive white pepper aromas that come across strongly in this bottle. Carrying a shy 12.5% alcohol content, this red is lean and delicate to the palate, with more spice, ash and savory flavors than fruity tones. In fact, the wine's dark currant and tart berry tones take a back seat in this vintage of 3,240 bottles. Contrada Rampante is located at 1,000 meters altitude, which is the highest elevation allowed in the official appellation (although many vintners are aiming to make wines even higher up the volcano). This estate farms a 1.7-hectare parcel here, and like the other wines in this series, winemaking starts off with a quick fermentation in steel (usually 15 days) and ends with 18 months in oak casks.
Producer
Tenuta di Trinoro & Passopisciaro
Found in the most remote corners of the region, where Tuscany meets Umbria and Lazio, there lies Tenuta di Trinoro. Andrea Franchetti established the estate upon this virgin wine territory of Sarteano in 1992. Today, Franchetti remains one of the most extreme winemakers in Italy, continuing to push traditional French viticulture models. He planted Bordeaux varieties at altitudes up to 500-700 meters, at super high densities, and then picks them as late as possible, even in November. He goes on to vinify every little parcel individually so he can meticulously monitor each one’s development, selecting only the best for the Tenuta di Trinoro cuvée. Clearly, the terroir is particular, given not only its lavishness but also the originality that it brings to the wines. Low-yields also enhance the wine’s structured black fruit and wild herb essences. As much as we admire Franchetti’s Tenuta di Trinoro – based on Cabernet Franc with small amounts of Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot – his second label, Le Cupole, offers a quality-price ratio that is too good to believe.