Passopisciaro

The nerello mascalese that we picked in 2005 was tight, classic wine material. After a fairly cool year the weather made it possible, if barely, to hold our pickings until way into November: we harvested from the 12th to the 25th.

Year after year, we are seeing how the dry Alcantara valley and the nerello grape’s late ripening in the high altitudes make it possible to have fine and beautifully diverse vintages, producing aromatic and rich wines. The incredible difference of soils, due to the apparent distinctions between lava spills, and altitudes are worked into the character of this wine.

Vineyard age: 70-100 years

Vineyard density: 8,000 vines/Ha

Vineyard altitude: 500-1,100 m asl

Yield per hectare: 40 Hl/Ha

Fertilization: None

Spraying: Propolis, grapefruit seed extract, copper, sulphur, clay, lime

Vinification: Temperature-controlled fermentation in 30 Hl steel vats for 15 days

Aging: 18-20 months in 30 and 50 hectoliter neutral oak barrels, at least 3 months in bottle

Bottling: March 2007

Production: 30,000 bottles