The De Bartoli winery was founded in Sicily in 1978, when the young Marco, with a degree in agronomy and a passion for racing cars, took over the family business and put his focus entirely on high quality. It is now a legendary winery, divided into two production hubs which offer a vast and competitive range of labels: one of these centres is located just 12 kilometres from Marsala and the other is in Pantelleria Bukkuram (which means ‘Father of the Vineyard’ in Arabic, since it was an area favoured by the Arabs for cultivating vines). Marco’s red wine, Pignatello Rosso Terre Siciliane IGT, is made exclusively from Pignatello grapes, which are also known as ‘Perricone’. This is a traditional red grape variety from western Sicily which disappeared for many years and which takes its name from the ‘pignatiddare’ soils: the red soils of Trapani which are used in the production of ‘pignatte’, or cooking pots, and which are particularly suited to the cultivation of this variety of grape. The grapes are harvested in the second half of September and are fermented on their own lees. The wine then undergoes ageing in French oak barrels for 24 months followed by a further month in the bottle. In colour, this wine is ruby red with purplish reflections. It is dominated by aromas of cherry and blackberry and has delicate tannins. This wine is fresh with an easy drinkability. It is ideal for accompanying dishes based on white meat and vegetables and is perfect for pairing with pasta con le sarde, bluefish, and typical Sicilian cuisine.
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