Franchetti 2016
ABOUT THE VINTAGE
The grapes that go in to the Franchetti wine in 2016 ripened steadily and gradually so we were able to pick them with exact timing. I would run up every morning to find the same little jump forward in maturity, decided to wait, then descended to the winery.
We made a fresh wine of petit verdot, a superwoven cesanese d’Affile, like an indian blanket. We mixed them in even quantities in May 2017. The wine reminds one of red fruits; it is very fresh and already quite seamless.
This unique blend of petit verdot and cesanese d’Affile is grown in contrada Guardiola at 820 meters above sea level. The winemaker’s interpretation of a full-bodied wine on Etna.
REVIEWS
Ian D’Agata, Vinous Media, 98+ points: “Fully saturated, impenetrable inky-ruby color. Smells very concentrated but offers pristine herbal and mineral nuances to the ripe red and black fruit aromas and flavors. Much more refined in the mouth than the powerful nose indicates, with lively acidity nicely extending flavors similar to the aromas on the long rich and very dense finish. A marvelous wine that is both rich and concentrated and yet light on its feet. Finishes with an enticing, spicy juicy note. This blend of 60% Petit Verdot and 40% Cesanese d’Affile is an absolutely superb wine; well done. I’m curious to see how this develops over the next few years and if it will one day merit a perfect score or not.”
Alison Napjus, Wine Spectator, 92 points: “Grippy tannins are fleshed out by a ripe and mouthwatering mix of concentrated blackberry and boysenberry fruit, wild herb and incense notes in this rich, full-bodied red. Long and fresh on the aromatic finish. Petit Verdot and Cesanese d’Affile.”
PRODUCTION
4,000 bottles (333 cases)
BLEND
60% Petit Verdot
40% Cesanese d’Affile
