2023 Passobianco

Instead of the indigenous Carricante, which grows on the eastern side of the volcano, Passobianco is made of 100% Chardonnay. When Franchetti arrived on Mt. Etna, he planted 4 hectares of the grape on steep terraces between 850 and 1,000 meters /2,600 and 3,300 feet above sea level in Contrada Guardiola, in very loose,  deep, powder like lava that is rich in minerals. We began making this wine in 2007, and it is formerly known as Guardiola bianco. Passobianco rises from the encounter between ...Read More...

Instead of the indigenous Carricante, which grows on the eastern side of the volcano, Passobianco is made of 100% Chardonnay. When Franchetti arrived on Mt. Etna, he planted 4 hectares of the grape on steep terraces between 850 and 1,000 meters /2,600 and 3,300 feet above sea level in Contrada Guardiola, in very loose,  deep, powder like lava that is rich in minerals. We began making this wine in 2007, and it is formerly known as Guardiola bianco.

Passobianco rises from the encounter between Chardonnay and the deep soils of the contrade Guardiola and Montedolce where it digs its roots into pure lava dust and rocks, rich in minerals. The Chardonnay cultived on the steep terraces of these contrade between 850 and 950 meters / 2,788 and 2,952 feet develops an expression of joyous elegance and a deep minerality.

The winter of 2023 gifted us with a snowfall the likes of which hadn’t been seen for years, covering the vineyards lying above 800 meters with a thick white blanket. The water reserves benefited from the melting of this precious weather event, after the drought-stricken 2022 vintage. However, 2023 was not all rosy. Spring was dry and mild until early May, when heavy rains and low temperatures persisted throughout June, disrupting the regular flowering process. Despite numerous interventions in the vineyards, organic treatments were not enough to stop the attacks of downy mildew, which reduced production across all vineyards, particularly affecting the earlier-ripening varieties. 

The summer was marked by record heat, with temperatures repeatedly hitting 40°C / 104°F in July. The Chardonnay harvest returned to taking place between the 1st and 15th of September, due to – or thanks to – the phenological delay caused by spring weather patterns. The grapes ripened unevenly, and the key to quality for this vintage was undoubtedly manual harvesting, which we have always practiced, allowing us to carefully select the best bunches to ensure the best terroir and varietal expression and integrity in our wines. Despite the very low yields and a 60% loss in production, we are comforted by the quality of the wine – a real source of satisfaction after all the hard work of this growing season. - Anthony D'Anna, Importer. 

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