Franchetti 2020

ABOUT THE VINTAGE

Franchetti is a unique blend of Petit Verdot and Cesanese d’Affile; it is grown in contrada Guardiola at 820 meters above sea level. The winemaker’s interpretation of a full bodied wine on Etna. The result is a wine of great concentration, as black as lava and volcanic smoke that flow from Etna.

The summer of 2020 was moderate with rains, and generally by the bad weather; at the end of the month July the heat returned, until the rain of 10th of August and finally those of early September.
Later, after the pools of white fermented and all went to the beach with the majestic mountain under the sun, came the rain accompanied by a little hail; A wind from the north blew all night and on the first of October the expected cold fell on the cities and villages.
For nearly a month the sky remained clear and from 14th of October all red grapes began to ripen.
The first to reach the winery was Cesanese d’Affile, more sensitive to the temperatures of mid-October.
It was the 24th of October when, after several tastings in the vineyard, Petit Verdot was also matured, the grapes brought with the aromas of oriental spices and a mixture of crunchy red fruits, with the achievement of maximum balance in the mouth at the dawn of the 26th of October; where we had to call even more harvesters from neighbouring counties to ensure we did not miss the moment.

REVIEWS

Eric Guido, Vinous, 98 points: “The 2020 Franchetti is gorgeous, bursting from the glass, spicy and intense, flaunting its Cesanese aromatics with a mix of blackberries, lavender, sage, white pepper and smoke that make this impossible to ignore. This is deeply textural, almost creamy in feel yet spry, with medium-bodied textures and a salty core of minerality that offsets its masses of ripe dark fruits and sweet herbal tones. The length here is astounding, as well as the harmony found within, finishing structured yet sapid, leaving violet florals and nuances of plum sauce to linger on and on and on. This is already so appealing, elegance personified, yet the best is surely yet to come. In 2020, the Franchetti is a blend of 60% Petit Verdot and 40% Cesanese d’Affile. Drinking Window: 2024 – 2032”

Monica Larner, Robertparker.com, 93points: “This is a blend of 60% Petit Verdot and 40% Cesanese d’Affile, unlike the previous vintage that is almost all Petit Verdot. The Vini Franchetti 2020 Franchetti is very spicy and savory with inky black fruit aromas. This production of 3,996 bottles comes from 20-year-old vineyards at 800 to 900 meters in elevation. You feel the 15.5% alcohol content over the wine’s thick, full-bodied texture.”Drink Date:2023 – 2035

Othmar Kiem – Simon Staffler, Falstaff, 96 points