Colomba Bianca, 'Vitese', Sicily, Nero d'Avola 2023

Nero d'Avola has long been the most important grape on the island of Sicily, thriving in the heat of the Mediterranean sunshine. Here in these sun-drenched vineyards, the highest standards are attained through the use of innovative technology and the careful process of mapping the terroir according to the weather patterns, harvesting time, soils and vine age. The vineyards are made up of distinct soil and climate conditions and range from sea-level up to 700 metres elevation, with each terroir imparting subtle complexity into the wine. The grapes undergo a sensory analysis and are hand-picked at optimum maturity. The grapes are harvested into 20-kilogram containers, to prevent them from being prematurely crushed. The vineyards are certified organic.

The manual harvest took place during between the end of August and the beginning of September. The grapes were macerated on their skins at low temperatures, for 48 hours, in order to extract sweet, delicate tannins and colour. Fermentation took place in stainless steel tanks at controlled temperatures of approximately 26°C and lasted for 12 days, followed by five months in stainless steel tanks to retain the purity of fruit.

Established in 1970, Colomba Bianca is the largest Sicilian grower cooperative and the biggest Italian producer of organic wine, with more than 1,800 hectares dedicated to
organically farmed vines. Colomba Bianca also has a further 7,500 hectares of vineyard, growing indigenous and international varieties. Despite their size, they engage a philosophy of micro-viticulture and micro-winemaking to ensure the ultimate precision, quality and expression of terroir. The stunning range of single variety and innovative blends are tailor made under the watchful eye of head winemaker Mattia Filippi. Dynamic and passionate, the Cantine is constantly evolving with investments in the vineyards and in the technology of their five specialist wineries. With their sights firmly fixed on the future of Sicilian wine, Colomba Bianca is rapidly becoming one of the leading names in organic winemaking in Italy