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The Planeta family has played an important role in Sicilian agriculture for 17 generations and since the XVI century. The vineyards in Sambuca di Sicilia and Menfi has been producing local wines since 1995 – the year of the first harvest in “Cantina dell’Ulmo, and has continued to expand to other areas of Sicily.

The search for new production areas has always involved territories with different pedoclimatic characteristics that would allow the production of excellent and peculiar wines; to achieve this important result, Planeta has always been committed to the enhancement of native varieties, the planting and adaptation of the best international wines, as well as the reclamation and recovery of the most fascinating and ancient wine-growing areas of the Region.

Today, the company encompasses six different estates, for a total area of approximately 897 acres of vineyards. All six estates, “Ulmo” in Sambuca di Sicilia, “Dispensa” in Menfi, “Dorilli” in Vittoria, “Buonvini” in Noto, “Feudo di Mezzo sull’Etna” in Castiglione di Sicilia, and “La Baronia” in Capo Milazzo best represent their own territory, also thanks to localized research and enhancement projects. The latter endeavour is currently taking place in four of the abovementioned locations: Sambuca di Sicilia and Menfi, Noto, in the province of Siracusa, and Vittoria, near Ragusa – very different areas when it comes to winemaking.

“Ulmo”, in Sambuca di Sicilia, was the first estate, opened in 1995 and surrounded by 230 acres of vineyards of different grape varieties. It is located in a unique landscape: on the shores of Lake Arancio and a few feet from the XVI century “Baglio” (a fortified country estate), which has always belonged to the Planeta family.

In the area around Agrigento, there’s also the “Dispensa” estate, the historic nucleus of the family, surrounded by over 395 acres of vineyards – the largest winemaking facility in the whole Region.

“Tenuta Buonvini”, in the province of Siracusa, is near the late Baroque cities of Noto and Modica, included in the UNESCO World Heritage and benefitting from an eco-friendly atmosphere: the small rural houses have been, in fact, recently renovated according to old traditions and using recycled and natural materials.

“Dorilli”, in the area around Ragusa and near the Dorillo River, actually lies in the heart of Cerasuolo di Vittoria territory. This 84-acre estate features a red soil, mainly made of fine and light sand that gives unique aromatic features to the two types of wine locally produced.

This post is also available in: Italiano (Italian)