Cantine Pellegrino: a heart divided between Marsala and Pantelleria
135 years but still rocking. It was 1880 when Paolo Pellegrino, notary by profession but winemaker for passion, founded the winery in Marsala, in the province of Trapani. Generation after generation, marriage after marriage, the company has always been in the hands of the same family. Currently, Pietro Alagna, chairman, and Benedetto Renda, managing director, lead the company with the collaboration of Paola Alagna, Caterina Tumbarello and Massimo Bellina, export director.
Respect the tradition, while embracing innovation
Recently the company also opened to young talents of sixth generation: Maria Cristina Bellina and Sebastiano Renda. “Family is a key asset for Cantine Pellegrino,” explains Sebastino Renda, area manager for Horeca. “There aren’t many Sicilian wineries that can boast a centennial history under the continuous guidance of the same family. In our view, personal growth goes hand in hand with the company’s development. Our motto is to respect the tradition, while embracing innovation. About 40 years ago, we strategically expanded the production, moving on from the exclusive sale of Marsala to the creation of a wide range of sweet and liqueur wines, without excluding our whites and reds, mainly from native varieties. Nowadays, we produce 6.5 million bottles per year, involving 35 countries in the export.” Another key date is 1992, when Cantina di Pantelleria was opened. “This is the beginning of an important new chapter,” explains Renda. “In addition to the two hectares of the estate, Cantine Pellegrino works around 70% of the Zibibbo vines on the island. On our part, we have a sort of social commitment towards Pantelleria: we are at the forefront in the promotion of the traditional bush-training system, awarded by UNESCO with the World Heritage Status. At the same time, we feel a responsibility towards local farmers and their families.” In Pantelleria three types of Zibibbo-based liqueur wines are produced: Moscato, Passito and natural Passito. “The jewel in the crown is certainly the Nes, natural version of the worldwide known Passito di Pantelleria DOC. It is a wine of great charm, sweet but not cloying, with a pleasant acidity that calls for a second taste. The word “nes” means “miracle” in Hebrew. We chose it just to emphasize the uniqueness of this product.”
A PASSITO-MADE HARMONY
Grapes Zibibbo 100%
Composition of the soil volcanic, sandy, slightly clayish Vinification and aging soft pressing fermentation, fermentation on natural yeasts with addition of sun-dried grapes, then aging in stainless steel vats for more than a year
Total Acidity 5.92 g/l pH 3.76
Dry Extract 41 g/l
Alcohol content 14.5% vol.
Bottles 40,000
Price 25 euros
CANTINE PELLEGRINO
via del Fante 39 91025 Marsala (Trapani)
+39 (0923) 719911
Facebook: Cantine Pellegrino
Twitter: @PellegrinoWine
Instagram: Cantine Pellegrino
See also ...
Alto Adige meets Alsace at the home of Gewürztraminer
Gewürztraminer in Alto Adige and Alsace: a focus on the differences in terroir, Read more
