Italian An Italian wine made from dried grapes, and the technique for making it. Similar to the French passerillage.

(Pah-SEE-toe) - Italian wine-making process in which harvested grapes are placed in a dry room (traditionally on straw mats) to dry into raisins before being pressed. The procedure concentrates the sugars in the grape juice, and is usually used to make sweet wines, although one of the finest -- Amarone (which see) -- is usually dry.

Sweet wine made from semi-dried grapes

Sundried grape wine from Pantelleria.

(Italy) The passito method describes the drying of grapes prior to fermentation. The dehydration results in an increased sugar concentration. The practice is traditional in Veneto, Italy, particularly in the production of Amarone della Valpolicella and Recioto della Valpolicella, but also for Recioto di Soave and other sweet wines. Traditionally the grapes are dried on straw mats, but they may also be dried in baskets in warm lofts, or even hung directly from the rafters.