Filippo Mazzei greeted the press to the Sicilian Estate. He presented important novelties and new vintages to narrate the story of a territory with a strong personality. It is here that the Mazzei family has for years been pursuing a winegrowing project in the name of tradition, innovation and sustainability. In Zisola – in south-eastern Sicily, the land of origin of the Nero d’Avola grape variety, just a stone’s throw from Noto – the journalists were able to visit the vineyards – and the splendid citrus groves – and the winery. Then they tasted the new vintages of Reds and Whites with a focus on the pure Catarratto – Contrada Catarratto Terre Siciliane IGT – launched on the markets in recent months. The current 24 hectares of vineyards, in the traditional ‘alberello’ form that guarantees balance and ‘protection’ to the bunches, have been planted – with a density of 5500 plants per hectare – to Nero d’Avola, and to a lesser extent to Syrah, Petit Verdot, Grillo and Catarratto. The sea breezes, due to the proximity of the coast, mitigate the high summer temperatures and mild winters, conditions that – combined with the particularly calcareous soils and bush-trained cultivation – allow the grapes to ripen perfectly and the wines to be characterised by minerality, freshness, elegance and personality. A dinner was then held in one of the estate’s cellars with some old vintages paired with typical local dishes. The following day, an unmissable appointment at the ‘Assenza’ pastry shop in Noto – Caffè Sicilia – followed by the journalists being accompanied by a tour guide to discover the city famous for its Baroque buildings and Unesco World Heritage Site