Vintage: 2022 Region: Pantelleria, Sicily, Italy Grapes: Zibibbo Alcohol: 12.5% Crafted on the remote volcanic island of Pantelleria, south of Sicily, this unique low-intervention orange wine is made from 100% Zibibbo (Muscat of Alexandria) harvested from 60-year-old bush vines. The winemaking process follows an ancient, hands-off approach: the de-stemmed grapes are fermented inside clay amphorae buried directly in the vineyard's sandy volcanic soils, leveraging the earth's natural heat to trigger the process. After an 8 to 15-day skin maceration, the juice is gently pressed and returned to the buried vessels with a portion of the skins to mature for six to eight months before being bottled with completely zero additions. The result is a deeply concentrated wine that glows a rich, sandy gold in the glass and offers a generous texture. The nose is highly expressive, leaping with intense aromas of elderflower, tropical fruits, exotic spices, and balsamic notes from the island's native vegetation. On the palate, it beautifully balances these vivid fruit notes with earthy, honeyed undertones, a distinct maritime salinity, and a tightly wound acidity. It is an otherworldly yet remarkably drinkable bottle that concludes with an exceptionally long finish.
