L’Ecrù Passito Firriato

Wine features

The description

The grape-drying garden in our Borgo Guarini estate is where L’Ecrù comes to life. This passito wine of unusual subtlety has a colour that glitters with vibrant gold and an enchanting harmony of aromas and scents: citrus fruits from the Zibibbo grapes and hints of Mediterranean scrub from the small amount of Malvasia.   The grapes from these two autochthonous vines, gently dried to the desired point, produce this passito wine that has a decisive but balanced flavour. It reveals itself in the spirit of its innovative identity, which makes it unique amongst the great natural sweet wines in Sicily.  In this harmony of flavours and tradition, the present disappears to make room for memories and the well-deserved slumber of the senses, lulled by an aura of perfection that only the finest grapes can produce.

Colour: intense golden yellow with an amber glow.

Nose: fine aromas of citrus flower honey, candied orange peel, dried figs, dates and peaches in syrup, in perfect harmony with the delicate scents of bay leaf, lemongrass, marjoram, sage, oregano and oriental spices.

Palate: an enchanting texture that unfolds almost in a whisper, with the class of its noble heritage; an expression of Sicily’s warm sun, enriched and caressed by subtle yet deep nuances of the sea and fruit that are both endearing and exciting.

Characteristics:  aristocratic and discreet, it is a sweet and dynamic nectar of extraordinary persistence, smooth, graceful and fragrant; it can be enjoyed alone, in your own intimacy, as you are sure to find a companion that is elegant, authoritative and sensual, never intrusive.

It takes three harvests to produce L’Ecrù. During the first harvest, the grapes are picked and processed in a traditional manner. This is followed by another harvest during which part of the grapes picked are laid out to dry on the drying mats. The remaining part is left on the plant for super-ripening and the stalks are bent to interrupt the flow of sap to the bunch. Finally, the third and last harvest takes place about eight days later, during which the super-ripe grapes that were left on the vine to achieve a greater concentration of sugar are picked. The wine, not the must, is then enriched with the addition of Malvasia and Zibibbo grapes, dried and placed in infusion in order to extract the wine’s distinctive scents from the skins.

Passito differs from other sweet wines as it has a supporting acidity to which the sweet component is added.  Firriato is the only company that adds raisins to the wine instead of the must, thus maintaining the freshness of a considerable supporting acidity that makes it stand out from other passito wines.

L’Ecrù is the fruit of dedication and attention to detail and its clear, natural colour bears witness to Firriato’s style and elegance.

Food matches

Sweetness calls for sweetness, we therefore recommend serving it with an apple and raisin strudel straight from the oven, cr�me br�l�e, a mille-feuille with vanilla mousse or a wonderful orange tart with lavender ice cream. Also excellent served with foie gras and full-flavoured blue-veined cheeses.