Grape Variety: Zibibbo

Colour: White

Introduced by the Arabs during their domination, vine cultivation and the production of wine rapidly developed throughout Sicily.

Until the middle of nineteenth century the production of grapes was of marginal importance for the local economy. In the course of years, by improving the productive techniques finally a high quality production was reached.

Zibibbo, (the name comes from the Arab word zibib that means grape) aka Muscat of Alexandria, flourishes on the remote black volcanic plug of Pantelleria which is marooned between Sicily and the north coast of Africa. Battered by coruscating hot winds the island is home to low trained vines that yield the most fragrant, muscat-scented grapes. Integrale is a project pioneered by the de Bartoli family who have been experimenting with organic viticulture and low sulphur. (The other wines in this range include a Grecanico and a Grillo). Here the Zibibbo is harvested in early-to-mid August to capture the acidity in the grapes (the variety can be flabby and prone to maderisation without this vital component). The colour is clear lemon yellow, the nose is pretty - white flowers and orange blossom – but totally without confection. The wine slips delicately onto the tongue, teasing with citrus and mandarin and white grape essence, fills the mid palate, but, instead of dispersing as Mu-scatty wines are wont to do, it leaves a flickering smokiness to remember it by.

The cultivation technique of Zibibbo is incidentally of Arabic origin also, involving the construction of thousands of stone walls in order to create the farming terraces: towards the end of summer one can see clusters of grapes being dried under the warm sun of the Mediterranean in order to produce an optimal raisining.

This “Passito” style wine, with its inevitable amber colour, has a remarkably wide and dense fragrance, sometimes like dried figs, candied fruits and dates with flavours of orange blossom, apricot, honey and caramel. Bukkuram, Marco de Bartoli’s Passito di Pantelleria, is 100% Zibibbo, raisined and with some age. Legend has it that Apollo himself was successfully wooed by the goddess of love, Tanit, when she substituted Moscato from the volcanic island of Pantelleria for his daily ambrosia.