Cerasuolo Di Vittoria 2024 Guglielmo Manenti

The Cerasuolo di Vittoria DOCG 2024 from Guglielmo Manenti is among the finest expressions of Sicily's sole DOCG appellation. Born from an artisanal 5-hectare domaine producing just 13,000 bottles annually, this wine embodies the tradition and terroir of Contrada Bastonaca, north of Vittoria. Manenti is a member of the I Vigneri consortium founded by legendary oenologist Salvo Foti, guardian of traditional Sicilian viticulture. His Cerasuolo stands apart for its purity, freshness and authenticity, untouched by the island's industrial production.

The Vineyard and Terroir

Guglielmo Manenti's vineyard lies in Contrada Bastonaca, at the boundary of Vittoria, Acate and Comiso in southeastern Sicily. The Ibléan terroir, named for the Hyblaean Mountains that dominate the landscape, is defined by sandy, calcareous soils rich in iron and clay, underlaid by limestone that plays a vital role: it retains natural moisture, allowing vines to draw water without irrigation, even through the driest, hottest summers. This arid Mediterranean microclimate, free of fog and marked by sharp day-night temperature swings, creates the incomparable aromatic quality of Bastonaca grapes: concentrated, healthy, irreplaceable in expression. Vines are farmed in the ancestral alberello tradition, low-trained goblet-pruned ceps planted close together, protecting fruit from heat and wind while demanding entirely manual work from pruning through harvest. Each vine receives individual attention, cep by cep, using non-invasive tools and methods that respect the plant's natural cycles. Viticulture is certified organic. The blend comprises 50 percent Nero d'Avola and 50 percent Frappato, two endemic Sicilian varieties with complementary personalities. Nero d'Avola brings structure, deep colour, black fruit concentration and tannic richness. Frappato, the more delicate and perfumed grape, contributes freshness, floral and fruity finesse, textural lightness and that crisp, salivating signature distinctive to Cerasuolo. Temperature-controlled vinification honours both varieties: eight to ten days of skin contact to extract colour and aroma without aggression, fermentation with indigenous yeasts, and restrained ageing that preserves the wine's vivacity and clarity.

Tasting Profile

The robe is ruby red with cherry hints, that characteristic buccia di ciliegia hue that gave the appellation its name, cerasuolo meaning "cherry colour" in Sicilian. The nose is immediately fine and elegant: ripe raspberry and amarena, that sweet-tart dark cherry typical of Sicily, interweave with red flower notes, pomegranate and soft spice, touched by delicate minerality from Bastonaca's iron-rich soils. On the palate the wine is clean, intense and extraordinarily drinkable: the tannins are soft, never aggressive, wrapped in velvety texture that enrobs the mouth with natural generosity. The sapidity and natural acidity of Frappato bring freshness and lightness that make this wine immediately thirst-quenching without sacrificing aromatic depth. The finish is long, mineral and fruited, with a persistence and clarity that confirms the terroir's quality. Manenti himself recommends drinking it within three years of harvest to enjoy the full freshness and brilliance of its aromas.

The Domaine

Guglielmo Manenti founded his domaine in 2006, the very year the Cerasuolo di Vittoria DOCG was officially established, and he was among its artisanal pioneers. On 5 entirely organic hectares, he makes Frappato, Nero d'Avola and Carricante, the white grape of Etna, in a spirit of absolute respect for the territory and its endemic varieties. His membership in Salvo Foti's I Vigneri consortium, which gathers Sicily's most committed winemakers in preserving the island's viticultural traditions, speaks to the vision of this quiet, demanding craftsman, whose wines are universally recognised by international enthusiasts for their authenticity, purity and fidelity to Vittoria's terroir.

Food Pairing

This Cerasuolo di Vittoria pairs beautifully with pasta alla Norma with aubergine and salted ricotta, arancini with ragù, herb-grilled lamb skewers, white pizza with anchovies and capers, characterful Italian charcuterie or aged cheeses such as Pecorino siciliano or Parmigiano Reggiano. Its natural freshness and lightness make it equally ideal with summer grilling and al fresco dining. Served between 14 and 16 °C, lightly chilled, it reveals the full generosity of its fruit and the mineral freshness of Sicily's sole DOCG.