Producer: Abbazia San Giorgio

Battista Belvisi and Beppe Fontana

Where?

Between the western tip of Sicily and the Tunisian peninsula of Cape Bon, three small, scattered islands extend Sicily: Pantelleria, Lampedusa, and Linosa. The largest, and closest to the Tunisian coast, is Pantelleria: a large volcano rising from the Mediterranean. The cultural, historical, and ecological identity of this magnificent island is imbued with a strong character, as are its viticultural identity, marked by passito, a sweet raisined wine, and its agricultural identity, dominated by capers. Battista Belvisi was born on the island, where his father and grandfather cultivated vines before him. After studying agronomy in Palermo, he did not remain in Sicily like most other Pantelleria students: he returned to his island to practice viticulture. For eleven years, Battista worked with Gabrio Bini of the Seragghia estate, then decided to create his own estate: thus, in 2015, Abbazia San Giorgio was born. The goal was to produce natural wines according to local traditions, organically and biodynamically, without ruling out new directions. His longtime friend, Beppe Fontana, a chef, joined the project. Together, they played several roles on the local Zibibbo grape variety and a few others, creating fragrant, enchanting, and highly sought-after wines: the quintessence of this volcanic island that always enchants its visitors, especially when they have a glass in hand. "What the earth gives me, I welcome it, I transform it into wine," confides Battista. "And this wine, I don't try to make it into something it isn't." »

Terroir, plots, and grape varieties

Battista's vineyards are located near the village of Khamma, in the southeastern part of the island, at an altitude of 300 meters: three and a half hectares divided into small plots. The vines, averaging sixty years old, are two-thirds Zibibbo, the rest consisting of Catarratto, Perricone, Pignatello (the local name for Nostrale), and Nerello Mascalese, more associated with Sicily but which Battista has successfully acclimated to the soil of Pantelleria. The volcanic soil, incidentally, is as rich in mineral components as it is poor in organic matter, and is laid out in terraces. Although Zibibbo is the island's emblematic grape variety, planted there by the Phoenicians, it is better known as the Muscat of Alexandria. Native to Egypt, as its name suggests, it has a multitude of names depending on its location: Mediterranean Basin, Spain, Portugal, South Africa, Australia, etc. Its large, firm, and sweet grapes make it an excellent table grape, and it lends itself well to drying, hence its name, which comes from the Arabic zabib ("raisin"). The Pantelleria zibibbo and its particular cultivation method (see below) are included on UNESCO's Intangible Heritage List.

Growing Methods

Battista says he practices "spontaneous agriculture" and "more organic than organic." While he has not obtained any label or certification, he nonetheless applies traditional, organic, and biodynamic methods, without the use of any chemical inputs. Some years, the vines are left intact during their growing cycle until harvest. The plots are grassed; The grass is pulled up and buried at the end of winter, which fertilizes the soil. No other fertilizer is necessary. The ad alberello vine pruning, specific to Pantelleria, dates back to the time of the Phoenicians. Adapted to the hot and windy climate, it is reminiscent of the basket pruning (koulara) of Santorini. Inscribed by UNESCO on the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, it is the first vine training method in the world to receive this distinction. Each vine grows individually in a shallow basin where it is pruned to six branches, producing a bush with a radiating structure. The basin is regularly maintained and re-dug to ensure the vines' microclimate, i.e., protection from wind, sun, and drought. The harvest, which is done by hand, takes place at the end of July.

Vinification

After the harvest, the grapes are destemmed and crushed but not pressed, in order to induce skin maceration, which varies from one week to one month depending on the vintage. Fermentation takes place spontaneously in stainless steel vats, using indigenous yeasts. Aging takes place partly in stainless steel and partly in chestnut barrels. Decanting is natural. No chemicals or sulfites are added during vinification or bottling.

The Wines

A small estate and few vintages, but what vintages! The bestseller is the Orange, a dry white maceration made from Zibibbo, a grape variety always associated with sweet and liqueur wines. Macerated for two weeks, it is aged for six months in stainless steel and six months in chestnut barrels. We can't resist quoting sommelier Elena Masi: "It's the smell of the sea, of citrus fruits radiating their essence, of grass caressed by the breeze. It's the sun candied fruit, the simple, ecstatic beauty of the pink caper flower and the scent of its buds. It's salt, dried figs... the freshness of the evening." Passito Magico is a raisined zibibbo that is more in keeping with the Pantesca tradition (12g of residual sugar per liter, notes of candied apricot characteristic of Passito di Pantelleria). After harvest, the grapes are sun-dried on racks for eight days, then turned and dried for another eight to ten days before being taken to the press with fresh grapes. A month of maceration in stainless steel vats is followed by a year of aging in stainless steel and six months in chestnut wood. Cloè is the cuvée of Nerello Mascalese, a deep-colored rosé to be enjoyed chilled on any occasion. Lustro is a macerated white made from Catarratto grapes harvested in September. It is recommended with appetizers, fish, and vegetables.