Endless beaches, blue sea, archaeological parks, small villages, and big cities. Sicily is undoubtedly an island that fascinates and offers landscapes and scenarios out of the ordinary. Among the most popular routes for tourists is the one between the capital – Palermo – and Trapani, facing the sea in front of the Egadi Islands. This is an area rich in culture and natural areas, also known for agricultural production and the vineyards and olive groves that dominate the landscapes of the hinterland. In Sicily, wines have always had a long history – it is no coincidence that Assovini Sicilia celebrated twenty-five years since its foundation this year, and twenty years since the first edition of Sicilia en Primeur – and in this agricultural area, full of hills and vineyards, wine is often the means to showcase the beauties of the territory and of those families that have made wine tourism a tool of historical and oenological heritage. Let’s discover their stories.

Tenuta Rapitalà, French tradition and Sicilian heart.

Located in the province of Palermo, on a territory that descends from Camporeale towards Alcamo, the Tenuta Rapitalà Estate extends over the gentle hills outlined by rows of vines that bask in the sunlight and unique colors that Sicily offers. This winery’s story begins in 1968 when Hugues Bernard, Count de la Gatinais, originally from Saint-Malo in France, marries Gigi Guarrasi, a descendant of a prominent Palermo family. Together, they embark on an exciting and courageous adventure: the modern reconstruction of the winery destroyed by the earthquake in the Valle del Belice. Count de la Gatinais focuses on the varietal and cultivation reconversion of the vineyards, and already thirty years ago, native grape varieties were accompanied by prominent French vines. Today, the work initiated by Hugues de la Gatinais and his wife Gigi is continued by their son Laurent with the same care and passion. Through their wines, you can revisit the scents and colors of the vegetation surrounding the vineyards of the estate, the focal point of the entire company.

Tenuta dei Principi di Spadafora, at the court of the prince, winemaker, and chef.

In the countryside of Monreale, not far from Camporeale, stands the family estate Spadafora, a noble Sicilian family whose roots date back to 1230. The founder of the agricultural company is Don Pietro of the Spadafora Princes, inherited from his uncle Michele De Stefani, a farmer and breeder of racehorses. Don Pietro is committed to both the reconstruction and the redevelopment of the estate damaged by the earthquake in 1968, revaluing the native vineyards and bringing allochthonous ones to Sicily destined to produce quality wines. Today, at the helm is his son Francesco Spadafora who lives in the beautiful estate of Virzì and takes care of the vineyards. Since ’93, he decided to vinify only with the grapes cultivated in his land and to produce the first bottle dedicated to his father. The transition to organic was inevitable, given the attachment to this place and the passion for cooking which makes him an excellent chef, capable of enhancing the raw materials with tasty and simple dishes. Today, he is joined by his daughter Enrica – to whom he dedicated the only label of classic method ed. – who takes care of the winery’s communication bringing a breath of freshness. Enrica is also a representative of Generazione Next, the young winemakers under 40 years old of Assovini Sicilia.

Donnafugata, exploring the places of the Gattopardo.

Among the hills of Contessa Entellina, you can find the vineyards where Donnafugata wines are born. We are talking about the family estate where every detail reflects the personality and taste of Giacomo and Gabriella, the founders of Donnafugata. Passion, dedication, and innovation are the fundamental elements that have allowed Donnafugata to shed new light on the perception of Sicilian wine worldwide. Their labels are small premium productions from unique territories, ranging from the estates in Contessa Entellina and the volcanic island of Pantelleria, to the eastern Sicily estates in Vittoria (Acate) and Etna. The name “Donnafugata” comes from Tomasi di Lampedusa’s novel – The Leopard – and means “woman in flight,” referring to the story of a queen who found refuge in that part of Sicily (where the company’s vineyards are located today, ed.). This story has inspired the company’s logo: the image of a woman’s head with windswept hair that adorns each bottle. Women have always been a constant presence in the family business, starting with Gabriella, a pioneer of viticulture in Sicily, to Josè Rallo, a wonderful manager and jazz singer by passion, and to the granddaughter, Gabriellina, who has been involved for some years now.

Cantina di Serra Ferdinandea, a happy island among woods and vineyards.

A special place where nature and the extraordinary beauty of the territory are expressed in unique agricultural products, Serra Ferdinandea extends over an area between 400 and 500 meters in altitude among woods, vineyards, and Mediterranean scrubland between Sciacca and Sambuca di Sicilia, not far from the sea and Mount Kronio.

Here, in 1831, the legendary Ferdinandea Island emerged – and quickly disappeared, sinking into the seabed – contested by Italians and French. The Insula in mari nata was born from a chain of underwater volcanoes extending beneath the Sicilian Channel, inspiring writers such as Verne, Pirandello, and Camilleri. Serra Ferdinandea is an agricultural company established in 2021 through the collaboration of the Oddo and Planeta families, both involved in viticulture respectively in France and Sicily. It is conceived as an ideal agricultural organism in a biodynamic system founded on the principles of respect for the identity of the place and the protection and enhancement of biodiversity. It encompasses a variety of cultivations ranging from vines to Perciasacchi wheat, legumes such as Sultana chickpeas, figs, and black Sicilian bee honey.

Candido, the boldness of Remigio.

Home and work. Not far from Camporeale, the company was conceived and built by a winemaker who loves the land and nature. Remigio Candido has spent his life watching and admiring his family cultivate fields and vineyards with passion and hard work. The vineyard has instilled in him the humility necessary to create excellent products while respecting Mother Nature and all the resources she naturally provides. Remigio, along with his wife Michela and their children Paolo and Vincenza, have chosen to live year-round in the house next to the winery to fully devote themselves to caring for the vineyards and to enjoy the breathtaking landscape of this place every day. The love for nature drives the Candido family to use grape processing methods that respect the scents and flavors of the earth’s fruits as much as possible. The winery’s commitment is entirely focused on organic cultivation and grape processing that echoes the ancient rural culture of wine. The winery, founded in the 1980s, is currently undergoing refurbishment, but it’s worth visiting not only for the wine but also, if you’re lucky, for Mrs. Michela’s cooking, which will delight your palate with the most authentic Sicilian traditional dishes.

Feudo Disisa.

Nestled between the valleys stretching from the mountains of Corleone to the Gulf of Castellammare, Feudo Disisa has been owned by the Di Lorenzo family for over a century, currently led by Renato Di Lorenzo with the support of his wife Maria Paola and their two children Laura and Mario. Historically considered one of the most renowned estates in the Grisì area in the territory of Monreale, the agricultural company is deeply rooted in traditional productions, with a focus on wheat, vineyards, olives, and even the practice of cattle farming still carried out today. Surrounded by unspoiled nature, Feudo Disisa has always strategically combined native grape varieties with international ones, recognizing that it’s the terroir that defines the varietal expression of each vine. Planting Chardonnay and Muller Thurgau in Sicily was not an easy task, but it was a stimulating challenge pursued with a pioneering spirit that yielded remarkable results. Disisa can boast the first and oldest vineyard of Chardonnay grapes in Sicily. However, the estate is not just about wine; the ancient olive trees on the property have always been an integral part of the landscape surrounding Feudo Disisa. The native olives of the Cerasuola, Nocellara, and Biancolilla varieties are handpicked, undergo cold pressing at the company’s mill, within two hours of being harvested.