The mad genius that is Andrea Franchetti has gotten his dander up once again. His success at his out-in-the-Tuscan wilderness Tenuta di Trinoro estate has led to his recent purchase of another promising, rundown property located on the slopes of Sicily’s Mt. Etna. Same procedure here, lovingly restore the buildings, carefully replant (or newly plant) the vineyard and use a fashionable mix of traditional and cutting edge viticulture and winemaking to produce provocative, supple, thought-provoking generously fruited reds from both locales. There’s a fine line between genius and insanity and it seems old Andrea is doing a fine job toeing it, these are exquisite wines...
Andrea is pretty hands off when it comes to the harvest and winemaking as he really wants the year itself to speak through the wine. That being said, this 2005 is positively screaming as both the Cab Franc and Merlot were harvested under prime conditions. Franc makes up the highest percentage of this Bordeaux blend as you may note the sweet tobacco leaf notes in the aromatics. The wine’s palate is supple, glossy and sensuous, speaking of perfectly ripened fruit, gently handled throughout the winemaking process. The tidal wave of cherry liqueur and spice flavors covers your whole mouth and slowly drifts away on the long finish. For fans of this wine this is the finest example we’ve yet tasted.
