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Valdibella 'Ninfa'
Grapes — 100% Catarratto Extra Lucido
Region — Camporeale, Sicily, Italy
Tasting Notes — Hazy burnt amber in the glass, glowing with warmth. Mandarin, ginger, apricot, and a whisper of fennel on the nose — aromatic and distinctly Sicilian. The palate is round and generous, with a proper orange wine structure — tannic grip, bright acidity, and a long mineral finish with a saline edge. Bold enough to be serious, approachable enough to be the wine everyone at the table asks about.
The Wine — Made from Catarratto Extra Lucido, a rare mutation of Catarratto with softer, more translucent skins than its common counterpart. The grapes come from some of the cooperative's oldest vineyards, trained in the traditional Sicilian alberello (bush vine) style — low to the ground, fully exposed to sun and wind, yielding small quantities of intensely concentrated, healthy fruit. Two weeks of skin contact, followed by six months aging on the lees in stainless steel. No added sulfites at any stage.
Farming — Certified organic. Ten member farms working the hillsides around Camporeale, 35km southwest of Palermo, using organic methods alongside biodynamic practices. No chemical fertilizers, no pesticides, no herbicides. Biodiversity is central to everything — alongside grapes, the cooperative grows wheat, almonds, olives, figs, legumes, and vegetables, all farmed as part of an integrated, living agricultural ecosystem.
Winemaking — Hand-harvested and transported to the cellar in small baskets. De-stemmed and held at low temperature before fermentation begins with native yeasts from the previous week's harvest. Skin maceration lasts approximately twelve days, then the wine is separated by gravity and aged on its lees until spring before bottling. Zero added sulfites. Nothing added, nothing removed.
The Producer — Founded in 1998, Valdibella is a cooperative of ten organic farms in western Sicily built on a radical idea: that farming the land honestly and treating people fairly are the same act. They are proud members of Addiopizzo, the Sicilian anti-mafia movement that certifies businesses committed to operating free from extortion — and every bottle of Valdibella wine carries the Addiopizzo seal. Recognized by the FAO for their work in preserving agricultural biodiversity, Valdibella is one of the most inspiring wine producers in Italy, full stop. Buying this wine is a small act of solidarity with the people who made it.
Drink It With — Grilled sardines, arancini, pasta alla Norma, aged pecorino, or anything that benefits from a wine with a conscience and a backbone.
Valdibella 'Ninfa'
Grapes — 100% Catarratto Extra Lucido
Region — Camporeale, Sicily, Italy
Tasting Notes — Hazy burnt amber in the glass, glowing with warmth. Mandarin, ginger, apricot, and a whisper of fennel on the nose — aromatic and distinctly Sicilian. The palate is round and generous, with a proper orange wine structure — tannic grip, bright acidity, and a long mineral finish with a saline edge. Bold enough to be serious, approachable enough to be the wine everyone at the table asks about.
The Wine — Made from Catarratto Extra Lucido, a rare mutation of Catarratto with softer, more translucent skins than its common counterpart. The grapes come from some of the cooperative's oldest vineyards, trained in the traditional Sicilian alberello (bush vine) style — low to the ground, fully exposed to sun and wind, yielding small quantities of intensely concentrated, healthy fruit. Two weeks of skin contact, followed by six months aging on the lees in stainless steel. No added sulfites at any stage.
Farming — Certified organic. Ten member farms working the hillsides around Camporeale, 35km southwest of Palermo, using organic methods alongside biodynamic practices. No chemical fertilizers, no pesticides, no herbicides. Biodiversity is central to everything — alongside grapes, the cooperative grows wheat, almonds, olives, figs, legumes, and vegetables, all farmed as part of an integrated, living agricultural ecosystem.
Winemaking — Hand-harvested and transported to the cellar in small baskets. De-stemmed and held at low temperature before fermentation begins with native yeasts from the previous week's harvest. Skin maceration lasts approximately twelve days, then the wine is separated by gravity and aged on its lees until spring before bottling. Zero added sulfites. Nothing added, nothing removed.
The Producer — Founded in 1998, Valdibella is a cooperative of ten organic farms in western Sicily built on a radical idea: that farming the land honestly and treating people fairly are the same act. They are proud members of Addiopizzo, the Sicilian anti-mafia movement that certifies businesses committed to operating free from extortion — and every bottle of Valdibella wine carries the Addiopizzo seal. Recognized by the FAO for their work in preserving agricultural biodiversity, Valdibella is one of the most inspiring wine producers in Italy, full stop. Buying this wine is a small act of solidarity with the people who made it.
Drink It With — Grilled sardines, arancini, pasta alla Norma, aged pecorino, or anything that benefits from a wine with a conscience and a backbone.