Passopisciaro

ABOUT THE VINTAGE

This wine is the fruit of the experience we’ve accumulated over the years in understanding our various parcels of Chardonnay.
Year after year, implementing precision viticulture where varying maturation levels were tracked separately, we began to separate the primary material in various phases of harvest and vinification, even within the same parcel. Our Contrada PC is the result and the clear demonstration of how, even with the same variety and position, Etna provides a range of unique and diverse expressions from angle to angle. Contrada PC comes from a minute parcel of Chardonnay planted on small and laborious terraces between 870 and 950 meters, where the production is naturally limited and the maturation very particular and complex.

2021 vintage on the northern side of Mount Etna can be defined as “bizarre”.

Between November and December 2020 we had some rains, even copious in some moments, which brought a discreet water reserve to the plants, especially in the vineyards facing east. This was great for the new vineyard in Contrada Montedolce planted during 2020 Spring.

Starting into the new year, there was a thermic swing between early January and mid-February with rains and even some snow that barely reached the highest vineyards (800/1000 m.) and then an odd heat until the end of February and the beginning of March.

Spring surprises us with low temperatures until the end of May, making me “dream” of the seasonal regularity of past years.

But it’s only a dream!

Suddenly, with the arrival of June, Summer arrives.

The vines, that were a bit late, explode now filling the valley and its splendid terraces with emerald green, going with rhythm towards flowering and fruit set. What a joy!!

Heat, heat and more heat lead us to manage the foliage like haute couture and to support the plants with generous irrigation at night. We don’t need to water the old and centuries-old Nerello Mascalese vines that are able to draw lifeblood from their complex and deep root system.

Fiery sunrises and sunsets follow one another, catching the winegrower’s attention! Suddenly, the Chardonnay grapes were ready to be harvested after August 15th, we promptly started bringing to the cellar perfect and fragrant grapes, these grapes will produce a more intense and fragrant wine.

We were waiting for the temperature drop and the moderate rains at the beginning of September and they finally arrived, allowing us to start red grapes harvest just before mid-October. Days of blue skies, cool and crystalline nights help us to carry out the several harvests of the red grape varieties with our usual style, thus creating red wines of perfect ripeness and good balance.