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Structure
Drinking window
Best 6 to 22 years from vintage.
vintage6 yrs22 yrs24 yrs
Critic scores
No critic score is published for this bottle that we can cite with a reviewer, a vintage and a review year, so none is shown. The rating in the header is our own.
In the glass
Aroma: pomegranate, black cherry, chalk dust, dried herbs
Palate: cherry-kirsch, graphite, volcanic stone, cedar
Contrada R Rampante, from the highest-altitude Passopisciaro site at 1,000 metres, produces the most structured and slow-evolving wine of the range: taut, mineral and built for exceptional longevity.
What it pairs with
-
Aged Manchego-style sheep cheese
The wine's chalk-mineral dryness and acidity match crystalline aged sheep cheese. -
Grilled Sicilian lamb with wild herbs
High-altitude intensity and firm structure frame the gamey lamb beautifully. -
Venison tartare with volcanic salt
The wine's raw mineral power matches the bracing rawness of venison tartare.
How to serve Passopisciaro Contrada R (Rampante)
Allow 65 minutes from open to pour.
- Open and decant. Open 60 minutes before serving and pour into a decanter to aerate.
- Serve at 14-16°C. Cellar temperature (14-16°C) is the band for this style. Warmer pushes alcohol forward; colder dampens aromatics.
- Glassware. Use a Burgundy bowl with a wide opening: the bowl shape rewards the wine's structure.
- Pair with. Aged Manchego-style sheep cheese, Grilled Sicilian lamb with wild herbs, Venison tartare with volcanic salt. Match the wine's structure to the dish's fat and salt.
History
Rampante is the highest contrada in the Passopisciaro portfolio, named for the steep volcanic terrain at approximately 1,000 metres altitude. Andrea Franchetti considered it the most challenging to farm and the most rewarding to age, and it commands the highest prices in the contrada series.
- 2007: First vintage in the inaugural contrada series launch
Facts
- Producer
- Passopisciaro (Vini Franchetti) · visiting guide
- Grapes
- Nerello Mascalese
- Classification
- Sicilia IGT
- Oak
- 15 months in large French oak botti (25-50 hl)
- ABV
- 13.5%
- Price
- €70-110 at retail
- Drinking window
- 6-22 from vintage
- First vintage
- 2007
Frequently asked about Passopisciaro Contrada R (Rampante)
What does Passopisciaro Contrada R (Rampante) taste like?
On the nose, pomegranate, black cherry, chalk dust, dried herbs. On the palate, cherry-kirsch, graphite, volcanic stone, cedar. Structurally medium-bodied, firm tannins, high acidity with a very long, taut and mineral finish. Contrada R Rampante, from the highest-altitude Passopisciaro site at 1,000 metres, produces the most structured and slow-evolving wine of the range: taut, mineral and built for exceptional longevity.
When should I drink Passopisciaro Contrada R (Rampante)?
Drink 6-22 from vintage. Young vintages benefit from 30-90 minutes of decanting; mature bottles should be handled carefully for sediment.
What food pairs with Passopisciaro Contrada R (Rampante)?
Aged Manchego-style sheep cheese is the canonical pairing. Other strong matches include Grilled Sicilian lamb with wild herbs and Venison tartare with volcanic salt. The wine's chalk-mineral dryness and acidity match crystalline aged sheep cheese.
What grapes are in Passopisciaro Contrada R (Rampante)?
The blend is Nerello Mascalese. The wine is classified as Sicilia IGT.
Tags
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