Mandrarossa `Ciaca Bianca` Fiano is grown in a vineyard which enjoys the temperature modifying sea breezes. Sicily is still a hot Mediterranean island though and the temperature change between night and day brought on by the close proximity to water helps to keep the grapes and therefore the wine fresh, enhancing the aromatic qualities.

The nose featuresthat freshness from the start and fragrant aromas of jasmine, basil and grapefruit, tomato leaf and laurel follow in waves. The palate is minerally, with hints of aromatic herbs such as oregano and mint, and excellent length.

About the Producer

First produced in 1999, the Mandrarossa wines come from a selection of the best sites from Cantine Settesolis 6,000 hectares of vineyard, situated in southwestern Sicily and planted with 32 different grape varieties. This range was conceived after the diverse soils of the vineyards were mapped, enabling the winemakers to focus on what were then ranked their best sites. Under the leadership of co-operative president Giuseppe Bursi, consultant winemaker Alberto Antonini has sought to improve viticulture, which in turn has resulted in better wines. Working with soil specialist Pedro Parra and head winemaker Mimmo De Gregorio, Alberto has selected 500 hectares of vineyard for the production of the Mandrarossa wines. These vineyards are situated close to the sea, where intense sunlight, moderating sea breezes, mild temperatures, multiple elevations and a myriad of different soil types combine to give the sort of grapes that Mimmo and Alberto are looking for.

Vineyard and Winery

The vineyards are located on hillside sites that face south and south-east, at 150-350 metres above sea level. Soils consist mainly of limestone and silty sand, and are medium-textured. The vines are Guyot trained, with a density of 4,000-4,500 plants per hectare.

The grapes were crushed and destemmed, then immediately cooled to 5-8C, and kept at these temperatures for 4-6 hours on the skins to extract the maximum amount of flavour. They were then softly pressed and the juice was clarified for 36 hours at a low temperature. Fermentation took place over the course of 15-20 days in temperature-controlled, stainless-steel tanks at 16-18C. The wine was kept in stainless-steel tanks for four months before bottling.