It’s always wonderful to share wine with friends and find people who have similar palates. When it comes to wine, trusted sources always seem to be too few in number, making them even more treasured. My friend and former colleague behind Ridculously Tasty recommended this wine to me 6-8 months ago and I figured I better pick some up. It’s a good thing I did as it has been getting a lot of good press and is now in high demand — and the retail price continues to go up if you can even find it.

Passopisciaro apparently means “the-step-of-the-fish-dealer” in Sicilian. It might be difficult to find any fish dealers near these vineyards given that they are at an elevation of 3000 feet.  I am not sure of the story behind the name, but the wine is 100% Nerello Mascaleseis. Usually known to make a hard, harsh wine without much color. Not the case in the hands of Andrea Franchetti. Franchetti says he is able utilize the altitude and climate, allowing the grapes to ripen very late in the season – often as late as November – resulting in a wine with lots of ripe fruit, complexity and length.

This is more like a world-class Pinot Noir with an Italian pedigree. Rudy red in color. Great bright sour cherry, raspberry with dark chocolate on the nose. Pinot like on the palate as well — lots of bright sour cherry, currant and pomegranate with some stone, toast/smoke and earth. Prominent mineral underpinnings. Good acidity, silky tannins with a prolonged finish. I love the balance of the austere with the sensual — and is both rustic and elegant.

Shortly after enjoying my first glass of this wine, I got a severe case of the chills which later become hot flashes that were accompanied with a 101+ degree fever. I woke up this morning feeling better but with a bit of a heat rash. I hope it isn’t a reaction to this wine as I wouldn’t be able to help myself from opening another bottle. Fortunately, if that is indeed the case, there is only one more bottle of the 2005 downstairs and I am prepared to subject myself to those consequences again if need be.

Franchetti was recently selected to make Episode 3, a special Bordeaux winemaker’s collection. I will be on the look out for that as well as the 2006 Passopisciaro (which has been getting even better press than the 2005). Recommended.