Tenuta di Trinoro Passopisciaro

Passopisciaro Passorosso is a 750ml, 14.5% ABV Sicilian red wine made from 100% Nerello Mascalese grown on Mount Etna's volcanic slopes. Rated 94 points by James Suckling and 93 points by Wine Enthusiast (Kerin O'Keefe), this bottling represents one of Etna's most compelling expressions of old-vine Nerello from a single visionary estate.

Quick Facts: ABV: 14.5%  |  Origin: Mount Etna, Sicily, Italy  |  100% Nerello Mascalese  |  Estate: Passopisciaro (Andrea Franchetti)

Production & Heritage

Passopisciaro was founded by the late Andrea Franchetti, who also established Tenuta di Trinoro in Tuscany's Val d'Orcia. Drawn to Etna's extreme volcanic terroir in the early 2000s, Franchetti planted and restored vineyards on the mountain's north face at elevations between 500 and 800 meters above sea level. The Passorosso draws fruit from 80- to 110-year-old vines trained in the traditional alberello (head-pruned) style at a dense planting of roughly 8,000 vines per hectare. After harvest, the wine ages for 18 months split between cement vats and large oak barrels, a regimen designed to preserve Nerello Mascalese's transparency and volcanic mineral signature rather than imprint oak flavors.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: The nose opens with crunchy wild strawberry and raspberry, giving way to dried Mediterranean herbs, a wisp of eucalyptus, and a distinct smoky, ashy undertone rooted in the volcanic soil. There is an almost floral lift beneath the fruit that adds real complexity.

Taste: The entry is juicy and direct, carrying crushed raspberry and strawberry compote across a lean, focused mid-palate. As it develops, notes of licorice, exotic incense, and stony minerality emerge, framed by taut, fine-grained tannins and bright acidity. The structure has been compared to the ethereal transparency of Pinot Noir paired with the tannic grip of Nebbiolo — a quality unique to high-altitude Nerello Mascalese.

Finish: Medium-long, with lingering balsamic nuance, raw cherry, and a subtle stoniness that recalls the lava soils. The acidity keeps the close fresh and precise, pulling you back for another sip.

How to Drink Passorosso

Serve at 60–64°F (16–18°C) with 30 to 45 minutes of decanting to let the aromatics fully unfold; the wine's fine tannins and volcanic mineral tension reward patience. A large-bowled Burgundy glass channels the delicate strawberry and herbal aromatics more effectively than a narrower Bordeaux shape. While Passorosso drinks beautifully on its own, it is built for the table — its bright acidity and savory spine make it an exceptionally versatile food wine, particularly strong alongside grilled swordfish with capers, pasta alla Norma, or roasted lamb with rosemary and wild fennel.

Best For

• Gifting a wine enthusiast interested in volcanic or terroir-driven Italian reds
• Pairing with Sicilian or Southern Italian cuisine at a dinner gathering
• Exploring Etna Rosso as a stepping stone from Burgundy or Barolo
• Adding an age-worthy, distinctive bottling to a serious cellar collection

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Passorosso taste like? Passorosso leads with wild strawberry and raspberry, layered with dried herbs, smoke, and a pronounced mineral stoniness from its volcanic Etna terroir. Fine-grained tannins and vibrant acidity give it an elegant, transparent structure often compared to great Pinot Noir.

How does Passorosso compare to Tenuta delle Terre Nere Prephylloxera "La Vigna di Don Peppino"? Both are high-altitude, old-vine Nerello Mascalese wines from Mount Etna's north slope, with Don Peppino sourced from ungrafted pre-phylloxera vines. Passorosso tends toward a more direct, smoky fruit intensity, while Don Peppino is often described as more austere and mineral-focused; both have earned scores around 93–94 points from major critics.

Is Passorosso good for sipping on its own? Absolutely — its balance of bright red fruit, herbal complexity, and firm but refined tannins makes it a rewarding wine to drink neat, especially with a brief decant to open the aromatics.

Where is Passorosso made? Passorosso is produced at the Passopisciaro estate on the northern slopes of Mount Etna in Sicily, Italy, at elevations between 500 and 800 meters above sea level. The estate was founded by Andrea Franchetti, who also owned Tenuta di Trinoro in Tuscany.

What foods pair well with Passorosso? Grilled swordfish with capers and olives mirrors its Mediterranean herbal notes; pasta alla Norma bridges the smoky fruit with eggplant richness; roasted lamb with wild fennel complements the wine's savory depth; aged Pecorino Siciliano echoes its stony minerality; and wood-grilled octopus highlights its smoky, volcanic character.

What sizes does Passorosso come in? Passorosso is widely available in the standard 750ml bottle, with magnums (1.5L) occasionally released depending on the vintage.

Is Passorosso worth the price? Passorosso positions as a mid-premium Etna Rosso — priced above entry-level Etna reds but well below the estate's single-contrada bottlings. Given its old-vine sourcing, 18 months of aging, and consistent critical scores in the 92–94-point range, it represents strong value within the serious Etna category.

Why Passorosso?

What separates Passorosso from the growing crowd of Etna Rosso bottlings is the extreme age and altitude of its source vines — century-old alberello plantings growing in volcanic soils at up to 800 meters, where diurnal temperature swings preserve the grape's natural acidity and aromatic purity. Andrea Franchetti was among the first outsiders to recognize Etna's potential and invest seriously in the mountain's old vineyards, and that head start shows in vine age and site knowledge that newer estates cannot replicate. The 18-month aging split between neutral cement and large oak preserves rather than masks the terroir, resulting in a wine that tastes unmistakably of its place. With consistent scores from James Suckling (94 points), Vinous (93 points), and Wine Enthusiast (93 points), Passorosso has earned its reputation as one of the benchmark introductions to volcanic Sicilian wine.