Franchetti 2006
Up at 1,000 meters on Mt. Etna, a powerful hot summer baked our vines in 2006. The slopes of the volcano had been covered with icy snow until April, and the plants had all the nourishment that they needed. That combination of good intake during growth and then heat in the summer made the skins strong, carrying the grapes safely all the way to the end of the ripening period. For this first vintage of Franchetti, we picked between October 25th and 30th and made a pure petit verdot wine.
Vineyard age: 4 years
Vineyard area: 2 hectares
Vineyard density: 12,300 vines per Ha
Vineyard altitude: 1,000 m a.s.l.
Yield per hectare: 20 Hl/Ha
Fertilization: None
Spraying: Clay, propolis, grapefruit seed extract, sulphur
Vinification: Fermentation in 30hl steel vats for 15 days
MLF: New French oak barriques for 4 months
Aging: New French oak barriques for 18 months
Bottling: March 2008
Production: 2,018 bottles
REVIEWS
“Franchetti hit the bull’s eye with his 2006 Franchetti, which is made from Petit Verdot and Cesanese d’Affile grown on the terraced vineyards of the Guardiola vineyard. The super-ripe personality of the house style is present but in this vintage that quality is kept within the confines of a well-articulated, poised expression that offers plenty of freshness and detail. This is a striking red loaded with sweet spices, cassis, plums and new leather, all of which are woven together with profound elegance. The finish is superb and nearly lasts into the next day. The 2006 Franchetti is one of the greatest wines ever made in Sicily. This is a brilliant achievement. Bravo! Anticipated maturity: 2010-2021.”
— Antonio Galloni, Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate, 97 points
“Deep red. Highly perfumed nose bursting with smoky sweet raspberry, red cherry, bay leaf and incense. At once creamy and penetrating, with an exotic, almost liqueur-like sweetness to the red cherry and strawberry. This rich, layered wine may be a bit too sweet for some tasters, but there’s plenty of acidity to buffer its sweetness. Finishes with supple tannins and lingering saline and smoked bacon notes. Ready to drink now but should improve in bottle for at least another ten years.”
— Ian D’Agata, Stephen Tanzer’s International Wine Cellar, 91 points
