Dear Friend,

Mare e Monti - Surf ’n Turf

Is the term that comes to mind when considering the far flung concerns of Vini Franchetti. A cult Italian wine brand originally from the outskirts of Southwest Tuscany. Established by Andrea Franchetti, who in 2002 reminded Jancis Robinson of “a youthful Yves Saint-Laurent”; he has since gone on to discover and pioneer other notable Italian terroir.

Andrea Franchetti, pioneering proprietor of Vini Franchetti.

In the early 1990s he successfully established Tenuta di Trinoro in the Orcia Valley in Tuscany as a highly sought after producer of Super Tuscans; at the turn of the millennium he started exploring the slopes of Mount Etna in Sicily, subsequently purchasing a piece of land now known as Passopisciaro.

Tenuta di Trinoro's vineyards, nestled in the Orcia Valley.

Significantly, the Passorosso (one of the wines from this estate), a 100% Nerello Mascalese wine (native to the island), was just designated Etna Rosso DOC - making it one of the few traditional wines in Franchetti’s lineup. (Side note: should the gravity of a DOC designation fail to have the desired effect on you, I’d kindly refer you to our Guide on Old World wine here).

Passopisciaro's Nerello Mascalese vines in Chiappemacine.

A third property was acquired in 2011, by son Carlo Franchetti, on the border of Tuscany and Umbria and today specialises in producing Pinot Noir from the area. So you see: Mare e Monti. » Read more

Tenuta di Trinoro Rosso Toscana 2014

Andrea Franchetti's 2014 Tenuta di Trinoro represents the vintner's definitive shift to a more elegant and focused style of winemaking. This wine was once celebrated for its super ripe aromas and sweet, jammy flavors. But this cool vintage hammers home a new approach that sees less bulk and density—something Franchetti has been enthusiastically embracing over the past five years or so. The results are stratospheric. The Tenuta di Trinoro property sees pretty high average temperatures in summer. The quality of fruit offers special grace and elegance in cool years like this. Among the many samples I have tasted across Tuscany from the 2014 vintage, Tenuta di Trinoro is a memorable wine and a landmark achievement. – Robert Parker

Bottle Price: R4,510

Tenuta di Trinoro Le Cupole 2016

The second label of Tenuta di Trinoro, Le Cupole was first produced in 1995. It is a blend of Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Petit Verdot, with percentages varying with each vintage. Fermented in stainless steel and aged in one to three year old barriques and cement, Le Cupole is velvety and approachable. This wine hits the palate with exuberance, full of fleshy, bright fruit, extracted tannins, and rich color.

Bottle Price: R615

Passopisciaro Passobianco 2016

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 in the contrada of Guardiola, in very loose, deep, powder-like lava that is high in minerals. Its complexities bring together the specific light, drastic changes in temperature, altitude, and volcanic influences of Etna, and the choice of Chardonnay was meant to allow these influences to meld and evolve over time as the white ages, inspired by the aging potential of the great whites of Burgundy.

Bottle Price: R595

Passopisciaro Passorosso 2016

Formerly Passopisciaro, Passorosso is made from the grapes of nerello mascalese, blending across different altitudes and soil types. This wine is a holistic expression of the breadth of flavors that Etna can produce with a character that distills this unique growing environment in a glass, reflecting the variations of each vintage. The wines age in large, neutral oak barrels and are unfiltered, presenting an interpretation of nerello mascalese that is bright, pure, red-fruited, mineral, and herbaceous, and with age, it begins to lose its color and gain exotic aromas of camphor, sandalwood, and spice. The first vintage was in 2001. Starting with this vintage, Passorosso has been designated Etna Rosso DOC.

Bottle Price: R650

» VIEW MORE ITALIAN WINES