Funaro - 'Pinzeri' - Grillo - Sicily, IT - 2024

Notes from the Winery/Importer

Vineyard: Grillo grapes come from the Salemi area at around 140 metres above sea level. The soil, with a typical marly structure, is rich in organic substance and has a pebbly skeleton, called “Cuti”, typical of the area.

Harvest:
End of August, beginning of September. The grapes are harvested by hand during the coolest hours of the day.

Vinification:
After a careful selection of the grapes, they are pressed in reduction (absence of oxygen) by means of a pneumatic press with nitrogen saturation and vinified in steel wine tanks at a temperature of 15°C. Fermentation lasts about 12 days at a temperature of 15°C. At the end of fermentation, the wine is kept on the yeasts until bottling, to allow a greater evolution of the taste-olfactory sensations.

Organoleptic characteristics:
Elegant and fine, with an intense straw yellow color with light greenish reflections. Full and captivating on the nose, with elegant and intense floral and fruity scents (yellow melon, peach), typical of the grape variety. Soft and full, with a long taste-olfactory persistence.

Notes on the Producer

Tiziana, Clemente and Giacomo: united by their love for their land and the desire to enhance its resources . A farm run by three generations has led Tiziana, Clemente and Giacomo to undertake a new entrepreneurial path made of love for their land and the desire to enhance its resources. Thus in 2003 the adventure of the Funaro winery began, a family business in which each of the three brothers contributes their own skills and unique character. Over time, the current team of the company has been formed. Stefano G., Franco, Totò, Stefano L., Sebastiano and Valentin take care of the vineyards; Rosario, the winemaker, assisted by Calogero, Davide and Pippo, works in the cellar, Tiziana and Elena take care of the administration, Clemente of the foreign sales. And last but not least… Giacomo coordinates the work of the entire team.

The cellar
The winery is located in the territory of Santa Ninfa on a small hill overlooking the Belice Valley.
The initial structure, completed in 2011, was joined, in 2018, by a twin building to accommodate the need for growth of the production area in the continuous search for the enhancement of its resources.
In this perspective, the recently completed expansion of the wine storage area allows all the company's grapes to be vinified. Inside the cellar, the winemaking areas are equipped with latest-generation technologies and the bottling line allows for maximum care in packaging the products.

The characteristics of the cellar
In this perspective, the recently completed expansion of the wine storage area allows for the vinifying of all the company's grapes.
Inside the cellar, the winemaking areas are equipped with cutting-edge technologies and the bottling line allows for maximum care in packaging the products. Large, temperature-controlled warehouses ensure the bottled wines are optimally refined, with a constant eye on energy saving.
For the refinement of the wines, French and American oak barrels of different volumes are used, in order to obtain balanced and soft products.
Adjacent to the new structure's barrel cellar, a completely underground area has been created to ensure a constant temperature of 15°C, suitable for the processing and “sur lies” refinement of the Classic Method Sparkling Wine.
All stages of the production process, from the reception of the grapes to bottling, are followed while ensuring respect for the raw material and the environment.

In 2011 both the farm and the winery reached an important milestone: the “Bio” certification. But we do much more. Every day.