Sicilian wines have gained an important place in Italian and international oenological culture with their strong, fruity fragrance, a product of sun, earth and the passion of people. Western Sicily is home to some major wines and the Kempinski Hotel Giardino di Costanza, near Mazara del Vallo in the province of Trapani, standing amid olive groves and vineyards, is the best place to start your exploration of some of the fascinating wineries located within this striking landscape. All this is part of the “Sicilian experience” which the Giardino di Costanza wants to share with its guests: discovering a land through its wines means coming to understand its very essence of life. The hotel motto is, in fact: “The Sicilian Boutique Experience”.
Did you know that the Trapani area, with its 27,000 hectares of vineyards is the most extensive wine-growing area of Italy and produces 45% of all Sicilian wines? It is a tradition which began with the Phoenicians and the Romans and the wines produced with the local grapes (Grillo, Catarratto, Inzolia, Moscato d'Alessandria or Zibibbo, Malvasia, Nero d'Avola and Frappato) have achieved the greatest success among wine lovers while its mellow dessert wines such as Passito and Malvasia are absolutely without equal.
A journey at the Kempinski Hotel Giardino di Costanza
To be able to visit the area it is a good idea to hire a car at Palermo airport which is well served by various car hire companies. The Kempinski Hotel Giardino di Costanza is easily reached in less than an hour by motorway and is the ideal base both in terms of art and archaeology and fine dining. If you prefer not to drive the Kempinski Hotel Giardino di Costanza can arrange to hire a car and driver; our concierge is also pleased to prepare everything for a wine-tasting either directly at the hotel or near to it at a winery in Mazara or Marsala.
Two itineraries for discovering the wines of Western Sicily
From Mazara to Marsala
The first wine producers you come to, Ajello and Foraci, are just a few kilometres away from the hotel in Mazara del Vallo. The Ajello winery is renowned for the high quality production of indigenous wines: Grillo, Insolia, Catarratto and Nero d'Avola, but also for introducing some non-native grapes - Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Syrah. The Foraci winery produces a large number of wines, all of high quality: Conte Ruggero bianco Alcamo doc, Galhasi Inzolia Chardonnay, Galhasi Inzolia Catarratto, Inzolia Galhasi Nero d'Avola, Galhasi Nero d'Avola Syrah, Le Gioie Merlot, Le Gioie Syrah, and Tenute Dorrasita Grillo.
Of all Sicilian wines, Marsala has become a symbol known throughout the world and a subject of genuine Italian pride, even though its appreciation in the nineteenth century was due to the British. Cultivated on limy soil, in a sunny, arid climate but with the moderating effect of the sea breezes, the grapes there have produced a wine characterized by a rare ageing quality and a taste that is incomparable for its fullness and expressive qualities since Roman times. Marsala wine offers intense sensations that are enveloping and lasting. With its sunny tints, golden yellow veering towards intense amber, sometimes glinting with ruby reflections, the bouquet has a complexity and elegance that reflects the many years spent ageing in capacious oak barrels. The heart of the area is Marsala, a city of glorious archaeology and splendid Baroque art and architecture with a sea front of exceptional beauty. The countryside abounds in vineyards and vine growers, private producers and large company wineries, wine cellars and “bagli” (Sicilian farmhouses), Saracen towers and craftsman’s workshops, museums and farms.
It should be remembered that Marsala is the oldest of all Italian DOC wines. It is produced in about twenty wineries in the province of Trapani using Grillo, Catarratto, Pignatello, Calabrese, Nerello Mascalese, Damaschino, Inzolia and Nero d’Avola grapes. The principal producers are all to be found on the way into Marsala: Milazzo, De Batoli, Florio, Pellegrino, Donna Fugata, and Baglio Oneto.
The ancient Florio winery offers the chance for a fascinating visit. The winery was founded in 1833 by the famous Sicilian entrepreneur Vincenzo Florio, who wanted to compete with the English. The cellars, in tuff stone, have been visited by several famous personalities, from Garibaldi to Victor Emanuele III, Mussolini and Tomasi di Lampedusa. Beneath the broad round arches, some valuable and unique historic vintages are still preserved. The Group which was created by the amalgamation of three Sicilian brands – Duca di Salaparuta, Corvo and Florio – still continues to produce some of the historic Marsala labels (Woodhouse, Ingham and Whitaker) and has been fitted with state of the art equipment. It is possible to taste the wine and make purchases.
From Marsala to Trapani
The Fazio wine producer is located in the Trapani district and won numerous awards both in Italy and internationally. Among their best-known labels are the Sapiens and Capo Soprano labels. The Fondo Antico winery produces a variety of local Sicilian wines, such as Corvo, Syran, Nero d’Avola and Baccadoro. The Marchesi Platamone estate stopped production during the Second World War, but has now re-launched its wine-producing business and produces the Donna Rita and Enrico I°. The Firriato winery has been gaining a reputation recently, especially for their red wines. Their Grappa Quater, Harmonium, Camelot, Santagostino, Alcamo, Altavilla and Branciforti wines are all worth a mention.
A trip along the “Via del sale” (Salt road), the main highway between Marsala and Trapani, offers an opportunity to admire some beautiful countryside. The Ettore Infersa salinas emerge from the Stagnone lagoon, opposite the island of Mozia, with the distinctive outline of the windmill and its sails, still in perfect working order, and the piles of gleaming salt. The small island of Mozia was the site of an ancient Punic settlement and its small museum houses a real jewel: the stupendous statue of the Auriga, or charioteer.
The Kempinski Hotel Giardino di Costanza: a good starting point for a tour exploring Sicilian wines. The hotel enchants tourists immediately with its radiant architecture set amid the Mediterranean countryside with fountains, water games and a gazebo. The rooms and suites are decorated and furnished with warmth and the utmost care, combining the ultimate in comfort with the most up-to-date technology. The hotel has indoor and outdoor pools, a gourmet restaurant, an extremely spacious Spa with state of the art treatments, a Kid’s Club for guests with children, as well as a private beach a short distance away, with its own restaurant overlooking the sea.