Founded in 2000 by the visionary Andrea Franchetti, the Passopisciaro estate is one of the great artisans of the Etna wine renaissance. Nestled at 1,000 meters altitude on the northern slopes of the Sicilian volcano, in Castiglione di Sicilia, the estate expresses a unique vision: to reveal the nobility of a forgotten native grape variety, the Nerello Mascalese, by combining mineral purity, Burgundian finesse, and telluric power.

Terroir: the volcanic crus of Etna

The vines of Passopisciaro take root in millennia-old lava flows, at high altitudes (500 to 1,000 m), on steep terraces facing north. This volcanic soil rich in ashes and basalts, with high minerality, gives the wines a rare tension, a mouthwatering depth, and a vibrant freshness despite the Mediterranean climate.

The estate produces parcel-based cuvées called "Contrade", the Sicilian equivalent of Burgundy's climates:

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  Chiappemacine (550 m): the most immediate and sunny.

  
  
  
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  Porcaria (650 m): structure and volume.

  
  
  
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  Sciaranuova (850 m): finesse and floral notes.

  
  
  
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  Rampante (1,000 m): tension, salinity, longevity.

  
  
  

Wine style

The wines of Passopisciaro are of astonishing elegance: pale color, complex nose of red fruits, blood orange, sweet spices, and warm stone. On the palate, they offer a chiseled texture, fine tannins, volcanic freshness, and remarkable length. The Burgundian influence of Andrea Franchetti is felt in the precision of the gesture.

Iconic cuvées

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  Passorosso: blend of several contrade, pure Nerello Mascalese, silky and expressive.

  
  
  
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  Contrade (Chiappemacine, Porcaria, Sciaranuova, Rampante): micro-parcels vinified separately, each cru having its character.

  
  
  
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  Franchetti: a separate cuvée, made from Bordeaux grape varieties (Petit Verdot, Cesanese d’Affile) grown on Sciaranuova – dark, deep, atypical wine.

  
  
  

Philosophy and winemaking

Passopisciaro is committed to a total respect for the terroir: no irrigation, manual harvesting, no added yeasts, long aging in large neutral barrels and concrete tanks, little extraction. The hand of man fades to let the rock and the extreme climate of Etna speak.

Since the death of Andrea Franchetti in 2021, the estate is in the hands of his historic team, who continue his demanding legacy with the same quest for truth and identity.