# Passum (Cascina Castlèt)

> Red, Barbera d'Asti Superiore by [Cascina Castlèt](https://ilvinobello.com/wineries/cascina-castlet.md), Asti, Piemonte, Italy. From Il Vino Bello (https://ilvinobello.com/wines/cascina-castlet-passum).

- **Producer:** Cascina Castlèt
- **Style:** Red
- **Denomination:** Barbera d'Asti Superiore
- **Grape:** Barbera 100%
- **Production area:** Steep hillsides of the Asti area, in the sunniest positions.
- **Harvest:** Hand-picked by mid-October; selected bunches are laid in small perforated crates and dried in ventilated, temperature-controlled rooms, with drying time varying by year; the winemaker checks the grapes and sugar concentration regularly.
- **Vineyard planting:** Old, high-density vineyards averaging 60 to 65 quintals per hectare; only 40 to 45 quintals per hectare are selected for Passum, giving 25 to 27 hl of wine.
- **Vinification:** Crushed and destemmed grapes ferment in temperature-controlled stainless steel at about 25°C with selected yeasts and frequent pump-overs, with 15 to 18 days of skin contact; malolactic fermentation follows racking.
- **Serving temperature:** 18°C in large crystal glasses, or decanted.
- **Storage:** Matures partly in French oak barriques, partly in traditional casks; after about a year it moves to bottle for at least 6 more months before sale, and can keep about ten years at a constant 13 to 15°C.
- **Last updated:** 2026-09-25



## Summary

Made from old, high-density Barbera vineyards using appassimento, the grape-drying technique that Maria Borio was, according to the estate, the first to revive in Piemonte; 2026 marks its 40th anniversary.

## Tasting notes

Intense garnet red with dense, warm reflections toward ruby. Broad, elegant, very persistent bouquet of plum and redcurrant preserve. Austere, warm palate showing generosity and robustness, balanced by sweet-leaning tannins and a pleasant savouriness, with a very long, intense finish typical of wines built to age. Alcohol 14.5 to 15.5% vol.

## Food pairings

A meditation wine; classic and local meat dishes, braises, game, truffle dishes and aged cheeses.