This bottling from the same Ginestra vineyard sees additional aging for even more integrated tannins and remarkable levels of complexity. A jaw-dropping 54 months in cask followed by an additional 12 months in bottle is a testament to the Conterno family’s commitment to quality. The 2016 vintage is a classic and benefited from nearly ideal conditions for a long growing season. Layers of rose, pepper, sarsaparilla, and macerated cherry lead to a palate with exceptional concentration and approachability. Only 333 cases were produced.

About Passopisciaro...
After a decade crafting wine at Tenuta di Trinoro, Andrea Franchetti embarked on a new venture in 2000 on Mount Etna’s northern slopes, near Passopisciaro in Castiglione di Sicilia. He revitalized forgotten terraces with ancient vines, replanting 12,000 vines per hectare in the mineral-rich volcanic soil at 1,000 meters above sea level.

The sun-drenched vineyards contrast with Etna’s unpredictable nature, where smoke plumes and ash-filled eruptions shape the land. Each lava flow leaves a distinct mineral imprint, defining the *Contrade*—historic subzones rooted in old feudal boundaries—that Franchetti carefully highlighted in his wines.

Franchetti was instrumental in putting Etna wines on the global map, focusing on the native Nerello Mascalese and its varied terroir through single subzone bottlings. In areas without Nerello, he cultivated Chardonnay, Petit Verdot, and Cesanese d’Affile.