Feudo Principi di Butera lies in the heart of Sicily, in the province of Caltanissetta, not so far from Agrigento (less than 90 minutes driving) in those lands who once belonged to important noble families such as the Branciforte and the Lanza who built the ancient Baglio, the fortified manor house, now completely restored with great attention and brought to life the intense ochre colour of its walls which becomes even more striking when meeting the blue and the green of the surrounding landscape. The 320 hectare estate includes over 180 hectares of vineyards offering a pretty unique terroir thanks to the warm and dry climate which optimises the development and perfect ripening of the grapes, a sea breeze which carries all its benefits to the vines and the warm, strong sunlight which is so typical of the southern areas of the island.
The vineyards of the Feudo Principi di Butera estate bask in the influence of quite particular weather conditions: they are situated on hills with an average altitude of 250m-350m above sea level at a distance of only 10km from the sea; they are found in limestone and shell rich areas meaning the earth is white, an element which gives the grapevines the an appropriate growth balance.
The main vine is the autochthonous Nero d’Avola, recognized worldwide as a symbol of the renewed Sicilian oenological tradition. Other varieties which have found an excellent terroir in our vineyards are, among the red wines, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah, whereas we can find, among the white wines, Chardonnay and Insolia, another autochthonous wine with an elegant personality.
The new wine cellar represents a union between tradition, modernism and efficiency: a careful use of primary materials integrated in the architectural and natural surroundings and conceived exclusively with the wine making process to transform grapes into wine of the highest quality, suitably resting at a constant temperature in precious Slavonian oak barrels of 30 hectolitres and highly sought after French oak barrels of 350 litres.
The entirety of the wine cellar is open to the public, from vinification to storage and bottling of these important red wines. Enjoy reading “Feudo Butera and the miracle of wine”, our first-hand experience at the winery.
This ideal wine day trip ends at one of the most important Michelin starred restaurants in Sicily, La Madia located in the small town of Licata about midway between Agrigento and Gela. A major seaport developed at the turn of the twentieth century, heavily reliant on the fishing industry, Licata served as an Allied landing, Operation HUSKY, point during the 1943 World War II invasion of Sicily.
Its patron and chef is Pino Cuttaia. After working in Michelin starred restaurants in Northern Italy for several years, he decided to return to his hometown, Licata, where he opened La Madia restaurant in 2000. Pino is happy to cook exactly the way he dreamt, giving his personal interpretation of Sicilian classics – arancini, couscous, cannoli, and more. In the kitchen a team of nine, working together with Chef Pino. Not a big brigade, yet a customized one: La Madia seats around 40 people, with a chef-to-guest ratio of 1-to-4. If you are familiar with top chefs’ cuisine, you already know about some modern techniques and textures. You won’t find liquid nitrogen and siphons here: Chef Pino loves techniques only as far as they enhance his Sicilian childhood memories. Pino Cuttaia and the character of the sole tells more about the chef and about our fabulous experience at La Madia.
Now it’s your turn. Enjoy this wine trip, join us!
Book this experience OR ask for a customized proposal info@isolabella.it or browse all our wine trips in Sicily.