2011 Franchetti Rosso

You might never peg the 2011 Franchetti as a wine made on Etna. But if you are familiar with Andrea Franchetti’s work, there is no mistaking his signature winemaking style. A blend of 50% Petit Verdot and 50% Cesanese d’Affile (a grape found mostly in the Lazio region), this beast of a wine packs a powerful punch. The concentration and ripeness of flavors are extreme and the wine is soft and jammy down to the last delicious drop. Its over-the-top, but in an irresistible way. Syrupy blackberry and prune fold into leather and exotic spice. The fleshy mouthfeel sports noticeable residual sugar. Drink 2016-2026. Andrea Franchetti is the original “man against the volcano.” This eccentric and utterly charming nobleman from Tuscany fell in love with Etna and decided to set up shop in the sleepy town of Passopisciaro following his success at Tenuta di Trinoro in Sarteano, Siena Province. As Andrea tells it, the Etna challenge was anything but easy. He fought with local sheepherders for control of his own property and is often under the threat of forest fires (from both arsonists and volcanic molten lava). For years, he was seen as an outsider within the closed and insular Etna community. But Andrea Franchetti’s contribution to the wine culture that now flourishes on Etna cannot be overstated. He is one of the founding fathers of this pioneering appellation. I once asked Andrea if he preferred making wine in Tuscany or Etna. “Sometimes I consider leaving Tuscany and coming to Etna full time,” he replied. Importer: T. Edward Wines, www.tedwardwines.com