Let’s explore and try to understand what this Cantine Barbera – easy box bring in the glass:

• Dientro le Case, Inzolia, Menfi DOC, 2022, white wine
• Coste al Vento, Grillo, Menfi DOC, 2022, orange wine
• Arèmi, Carattatto, Menfi DOC, 2021, orange wine

Dietro le Case is the name of the vineyard, planted by Marilena Barbera’s father in the 1960s behind the old houses of Tenuta Belicello. The soil, predominantly calcareous and pebbly, gives the wine an intense yet delicate flavour, great depth and aromatic breadth. The grapes are harvested by hand in the first half of September, and macerate with the skins for 48 hours. Fermentation is spontaneous, in steel. Maturation on fine lees for 4 months with weekly batonnages.

Brilliant straw yellow in colour, it releases an intense bouquet of broom and camomile flowers, with fruity hints of yellow apple and balsamic notes of thyme. On the palate it is savoury, full and pleasantly soft, with distinctly marine hints.

Dietro le Case is ideal as an aperitif and perfect with all fish dishes: its softness goes well with shellfish and molluscs, which do not like to be paired with wines that are too acidic, which would cover up their sweet yet salty flavour.

About 3,3000 bottles/year are produced.

Alcohol above volume: 12,5%
Serving temperature: 8°-10°C 
When to drink this wine: Dientro le Case can be enjoyed for a minimum of 2-3 years, when it fully develops its potential on the palate. However, to enjoy the full development of its complex personality, one must wait at least 6 – 8 years.

About Inzolia
Inzolia is an ancient native Sicilian grape variety that has been present in our territory for more than 2,500 years. Introduced by the Greeks during the colonisations of the 8th century B.C., it evolved from crosses between varieties brought by the colonists and some indigenous varieties that were already cultivated in the western part of Sicily by the the Elymians and Sicans, the. populations that inhabited that part of the island.
Inzolia is a vigorous vine, very resistant to drought and brackish environments, therefore it is well suited for cultivation along the coast, where it develops it adapts extremely well.

In Sicily, “costa” is the hillsides that slope gently down to the sea, covered with vineyards as far as the eye can see, caressed by the sun and cool Mediterranean breezes. Coste al Vento is made from 100% Grillo grapes, a fascinating native variety that interprets the beauty of the Menfi terroir with great personality.
Harvesting takes place at the end of August. The wine ferments spontaneously in amphora with its skins for about a week; after racking, fermentation continues until dry without any oenological additives. Once the spontaneous malolactic fermentation is complete, the wine matures on its fine lees for about 4 months and can be enjoyed for at least 3-5 years. From the 2021 vintage Coste al Vento has been fermented in amphora. Thanks to the characteristics of clay – limited gas exchange, excellent thermal insulation and zero electrical conductivity – maceration is gentler and the tannic extraction very well balanced.

Brilliant golden in colour, the nose is complex and brackish, with aromas of ripe yellow fruit and hints of oregano, sage and mint, which marry notes of nettle and green tea. The sip is broad and intense, enriched by a distinct salinity.

It goes very well with large roasted fish, grilled prawns, stuffed squid and generally with Mediterranean fish, but also with a classic Carbonara, and we also like it very much with semi-aged cheeses.
We think it pairs very well with our Aperitivo Mare box!

About 4,000 bottles/year are produced.

Alcohol above volume: 12,5%
Serving temperature: 12°-14°C 
When to drink this wine: to best appreciate this artisanal wine, we advise you to let it ‘breathe’ for at least 15-30 minutes before enjoying it. Ready to drink but it can age well in your cellar.

About Grillo

Grillo is one of Sicily’s most interesting grape varieties, obtained in 1873 by agronomist Antonio Mendola through the crossing of two ancient native varieties: Catarratto and Zibibibbo.

Characteristic of Grillo is its vocation to become a wine of high alcohol content, and to be excellent as an aged wine, for years, decades, or centuries. This is why it is fundamental in
blending for the production of Marsala. Since it is young variety, the research and experimentation phase is very active.
vine lends itself to be shaped by climate, soils, vineyard management and cellar practices. The result is a wine with many souls, facets and contrasts, which lie precisely in the expressive tension between its elements: acidity and rich sweetness of the fruit. 

In the Sicilian playing cards, Arèmi is the denarius suit,
which has the colour of gold. The name is therefore a tribute to Catarratto, whose colour appears to be gold liquid, intense and brilliant, incorporating the tradition of processing
this grape in Menfi.

The grape harvest takes place in the second half of September. The wine ferments spontaneously with the skins for 7 days in steel, with manual punching-down. After malolactic fermentation, it matures on the fine lees for 6 months in unroasted Slavonian oak casks and for 12 months in amphorae. It develops a complex personality after a few months in bottle.

Maceration on the skins gives it a complex bouquet, of bitter orange peel and cedar orange blossom that evolve into the tones of toasted almond and bread crust, with a touch of fine herbs and spices. The ample and dry mouthfeel is enhanced by tannic sensations that accentuate the structure.

Arèmi is perfect with white meats and Mediterranean blue fish, vegetable flans, gorgonzola and goat cheeses, even mature cheeses.

It pairs very well with our Formaggi Gourmet Box.

About 2,000 bottles/year are produced.

Alcohol above volume: 13%
Serving temperature: 12°-14°C 
When to drink this wine: perfect wine to drink straight away, but you can let it rest for 2-3 years in your cellar tofully enjoy its personality.

About Catarratto

Catarratto is a variety of Greek origin brought to Sicily around the 8th-7th centuries BC. Widespread throughout the island today, it has adapted over the centuries to very different microclimates, soils and conditions, but prefers the provinces of Agrigento, Trapani and Palermo as its preferred terroir.

There are several biotypes of Catarratto, two of which are particularly widespread in Sicily: Catarratto Comune and Catarratto Lucido.
Both are vigorous and have good productivity. They generally germinate in early April, with a long ripening cycle that ends with the harvest in the first half of September.
The clusters are medium-large and conical in shape: those of the Catarratto Comune are more compact and elongated, with smaller berries and very rich in bloom, while those of the Catarratto Lucido are recognisable by their pronounced lateral wings and larger berries, with a greenish skin almost devoid of bloom.

The wines of the two biotypes also show different characteristics: those obtained from the common Catarratto are more intense and characterised by fruity notes, while those obtained from the Lucido are more savoury and with a slightly bitter finish.