The Zibibbo

History, myths, legends but above all an unquestionable ecstasy for the palate

Introduced by the Phoenicians in their indomitable work of improving commercial relationships from one side of the Mediterranean to the other, a magic potion able to make the God Apollo fall in love, Giacomo Casanova's instrument of conquest, my approach to my ancestors' return to the Land , with the grapes of Zibibbo and its "nectar" was dazzling. I was also conquered - I would almost trivially say (how could I resist!) - by its incomparable charm.

Rather, I was surprised and proud when I discovered how this grape has been, since ancient times, the undisputed protagonist of winemaking in Francavilla Angitola and in nearby Pizzo. It is true that the provincial attachment when one speaks of wine is always very strong, but this is not about  advertising the best slogan or historical reference to support  the goodness of a wine, but rather not to ignore a deep-rooted wine tradition handed down, still today, by the story and the delighted look of those who have still intact the memory of this fragrant sipped wine - here the surprising uniqueness - during meals.

A different tradition compared to the famous Moscato, but just as important.

A table wine, dry, fresh, unmistakable expression of our territory, fruit of an alchemy between "le terroir" and the fresh and savory sea breeze, determined by the embrace of the enchanting and aromatic green of the hills and the blue sea of this small strip of Coast ... not by chance “The Coast of the "Gods".

An almost mystical union of the four natural elements, rich in minerals and arranged on almost rocky terraces; air from the sea, which climbs up from the valley floor and caresses the grapes leaving on them an unmistakable flavor; water of an uncontaminated territory without industries and traffic, far from the destructive effects of man; fire, that of the sun which, by exploiting the exposure offered by natural terraces, never abandons the grapes, from their birth to their maturation and subsequent withering.

The step from the thunderbolt to the desire to bring it back to its ancient and important origins has been brief, devoting our Cellars first to the cultivation of this precious and rare grape, then to its vinification and bottling and to the creation of the Slow Food movement.

Our intent is to give back to the Calabrian winemaking tradition even more than a simple wine, the pride of a particular Zibibbo vinification that in this dry version is able to enhance the typical dishes of the Coast. The Company was the first and only one in Calabria to have believed in this project of rediscovery and "enostoric" interpretation, a project that finds the applause of those who, having never approached it before, savor it and remain enchanted by its persuasive floral and fruity qualities and are struck by an unexpected dryness.

Convinced that we will carry on this project, we face new challenges, such as the realization of the imminent “passito” (raisin) and the meeting of “Mr. Zibibbo ”with the seductive Malvasia.

The passion for this land, the passion for Zibibbo

Giovanni Celeste Benvenuto