Manenti

About

Owner & winemaker: Guglielmo Manenti
Vineyards: 5ha, all estate-owned
Vineyard management: Certified organic
Soils: Predominantly sandy, with some clay
Grapes grown: Frappato, Nero d’Avola, Carricante
Annual production: 13,000 bottles

Quick facts:

• The Cerasuolo di Vittoria DOCG is the only DOCG in Sicily.
• Manenti is part of the I Vigneri consortium founded by Salvo Foti, which unites a group of like-minded Sicilian winemakers focused on tradition and terroir.

2006 was the first year of production for the official Cerasuolo di Vittoria DOCG, and also the first year of production for Guglielmo Manenti. His vineyards are found in the Bastonaca district in Vittoria, Sicily. Guglielmo says that it’s a pleasure to make wine in this region–the hot dry summers make it easy to farm organically, while a layer of water-holding limestone beneath the soil is capable of supporting the vines’ water needs without requiring irrigation. The traditional low density “alberello” (bush vine) plantings are ideally suited to this environment. As temperatures rise, canopy management becomes more important than ever–thicker foliage shades the grapes and protects them from intense heat, but it also increases water loss via transpiration. Finding the right balance is key.

The goal is to grow healthy grapes and harvest them at the perfect moment, so only very minimal intervention is required to produce a wine that repays the hard work of the growing season, with drinkability, acidity, balance, complexity, and freshness.