THE FEUDAL ESTATE
“Steeped in noble traditions”
The Paternò Castello di San Giuliano family – one of the oldest in Sicily –
owns an estate of over 300 hectares between Catania and Siracusa comprising two main centres.
The smaller of the two, near the hamlet of Villasmundo, is situated at the heart of the historic fief of San Giuliano,
which once covered over 3,000 hectares and has belonged to the family since the 13th century.
The distinctive features of the larger centre are its two deep valleys, coursed by the Marcellino and Belluzza rivers,
and the Curcuraggi plateau at 240 metres above sea level.
The windy, dry, cool-soil and well-drained calcareous plateau is an ideal environment for olive and vine cultivation,
and for centuries the area has been known for the abundance and excellent quality of its products.
The entire estate has been brought back to its former splendour through the tireless work,
respect of nature and passion for agriculture of Giuseppe Paternò Castello di San Giuliano and of his ever-to-be-remembered
wife Fiamma Ferragamo (the core spirit of Salvatore Ferragamo Group).
The agronomist Antonio Mandolfo – whose family has managed the Marchesi di San Giuliano’s properties for three
generations - currently runs the Estate which boasts products of undisputed quality following traditional methods.
CHARACTERS
Giuseppe Paternò Castello di San Giuliano
"The pride of being able to leave to those who follow us more
than what was left behind by those who came before us.
The knowledge that nature allows us to live and everything
is forgiven to nature. The joy of seeing that a seed planted in good soil can yield
choice fruits and an abundant harvest."
Peter Vinding-Diers
“Sicily is where I rightly belong.
Here I got myself a piece of land at the foot of an ancient
volcano and am busy planting a tiny vineyard and
building my own hermitage as I now plan to retire
from the world... with a few good bottles and books...
and my wife, naturally.”
Antonio Mandolfo
“I cannot do without fresh air, waking at dawn, summer heat
and winter rain. Living this way makes me fully aware of
the time and effort I need to create in harmony with
the forces of nature, whose regular rhythms renew the
magic of life...”
VINEYARDS & CELLAR
“Tradition, skill and enchantment”
The idea of re-creating the vineyards of Curcuraggi stemmed from the meeting between Giuseppe di San Giuliano and
Peter Vinding-Diers - a highly talented winemaker and authentic wine “guru” – who came to Sicily after making wine
practically all over the world, and with a handshake a gentlemen's agreement was sealed.
The vineyards were planted in 2004 and 2005 on the Curcuraggi plateau – an ideal location due to the perfect climate,
excellent lay of the land and soil composition.
The vines were planted at a density of 7.500 per hectare using the “alberello” system as dictated by local traditions.
The mainly Mediterranean varieties of grape, such as Nero d’Avola, have been complemented by other cultivars including
Syrah and Petit Verdot. The dry cultivation and the low yield per plant (no more than 1 kg of grapes),
are essential in order to obtain well concentrated and high quality grapes.
The wine cellar, which is the natural extension of the vineyards, has been restored and a contemporary barrel and
vinification cellar has been added, respecting the architectural traditions of this part of Sicily.
The wine cellar, tailor made to the size of the vineyard, holds 300 barrels.
THE WINES
“A unique symphony of scents and aromas”
Good wine is born in the vineyard.
The remarkable collection of red wines also includes a wonderful rosé.
With a well looked after vineyard, the eastern part of Sicily is capable of producing elegant
and well balanced wines.
The winemaking process follows the traditional method:
the hand-picked grapes are placed in 20 kg crates and stored overnight in a cool place before
being further graded and sorted.
The rosé is made from bleeding one barrel from each fermenter before fermentation,
in thermally controlled and open steel vats, begins.
The remaining more concentrated wine is then placed in one-year-old French oak barriques for malolactic fermentation
after which it is decanted in preparation for aging in barriques.
Peter Vinding-Diers skilfully and carefully classifies the barriques in order to create the different blends and obtain
a final result that can best be described as an exclusive “polyphony”.
THE OLIVE GROVE
“Agriculture according to tradition”
The olive grove, which extends over approximately 20 hectares in the Curcuraggi plateau,
is made up of an older part that is 50 years old (12 hectares), and a younger part of around 25.
The older part, on dry land, hosts Nocellara Etnea trees together with other older varieties of local trees,
while the younger section, which has a localised “spray” irrigation system,
hosts for the majority Nocellara dell’Etna and San Benedetto trees.
The plants are grown using the vase training system: each tree has one single trunk with 3
to 5 primary branches that are trained to grow outwards, which means they remain low for easier olive collection. Pruning occurs every three years, while the water shoots are removed every two years.
The olive grove is located on a plateau, in the last layer of the Iblei Mountains that looks eastwards to the Augusta
Sea and the antique site of Megara Hybla, always fresh and breezy even during summer.
Potassium and phosphate fertilizers are applied to the earth every three years when the trees are pruned
and the soil is being worked; in addition the soil is turfed, and the grass cut two or three times a year.
The nitrogen ratios are minimum, mainly applied with leaf fertilization in spring.