Feudi del Pisciotto
Situated within the triangle encompassing Piazza Armerina (known for its extraordinary and intact Roman villa), Caltagirone (Sicily’s ceramic capital) and Vittoria (famous for the production of the only Sicilian DOCG wine, the Cerasuolo di Vittoria), Feudi del Pisciotto’s new vineyards (44 hectares planted since 2002) lie at 250 metres above sea level and 5 km directly from the sea. The estate, therefore, benefits from two climate-related moderators: its altitude, where it can take advantage of the sea breezes and the significant temperature compensator, which is the sea itself.
Around the Feudi del Pisciotto estate, which borders the Pisciotto Reserve, rich in cork oaks and hundreds of different wood species, the vineyards were replanted with the main native varieties (from Nero d'Avola to Frappato) and with other international varieties such as Merlot, Cabernet, as well as Pinot Noir (the top of the range), Semillon which, together with Gewürztraminer, is used to produce an exceptional passito wine based on Giacomo Tachis’ brilliant intuition in tune with that of Alessandro Cellai, who serves as the head winemaker and general manager of the estate (as he also does at the Castellare di Castellina and Rocca di Frassinello estates).
The Feudi del Pisciotto winery consists of a new and modern building, the productive heart of the estate capable of yielding up to 10,000 hectolitres of wine, together with an old manor house (“Baglio”) which is home to a wine-making plant or “Palmento” that is unique in Sicily in terms of its size and condition. To be exact, the estate dates back to the 1700s and was one of the largest in Sicily. The old building includes an old manor house or “Baglio” complex that to this day preserves the ambiance of what was once feudal Sicily, and the wine-making plant or “Palmento”, from the Latin word Paumentum, referring to the act of pressing something. Pressing the grapes in tanks allowing the must to fall to the bottom has been found to be the best technique. Restored without any modification made to the existing structure, the Palmento is directly connected to a modern cellar.
In the old building an exclusive wine resort, the Wine Relais Feudi del Pisciotto has been created, offering 10 rooms with spacious and elegant living quarters and a terrace from where guests can enjoy the wonderful landscapes of the vineyards; while the rooms immediately adjacent to the Palmento are home to the Il palmento di Feudi restaurant, under the direction of chef Massimo Blanco. A cooking school is also available on site, in collaboration with the famous New York restaurant, which aims to exalt local flavours, following a kilometre zero philosophy, for a signature cuisine that blends perfectly with the wines produced on the estate.
Also on Wine Paths:
Wine Relais Feudi del Pisciotto
Rocca di Frassinello Winery in Maremma Toscana
