From Lombardy to Sicily: the Minini family and their southern project
The story behind Camivini does not begin in Sicily, but far in the north of Italy. Grandfather Francesco Minini founded the Cantine Francesco Minini in 1920 south of Brescia in Lombardy — a family business that has grown over generations. Mario Minini, the current head of the house, continued this legacy but was looking for a new challenge that went beyond his northern Italian roots. His gaze fell on Sicily. There, he acquired a selected site east of Marsala in the west of the island, built a winery in an old post station, and thus laid the foundation for Camivini — the family's Sicily project, which consistently focuses on the Appassimento style. Working at his side is his nephew Franco Minini, who has been gradually integrated into the family project over the past few years.
Clay soils at 400 meters, sun as a tool
The vineyards of Camivini are located at an altitude of around 400 meters in the hills east of Marsala. The soils are deep and loamy, retaining moisture even in the hot, dry summer months — a crucial prerequisite for evenly ripe grapes without stress. After the purchase, Mario Minini had the plots carefully analyzed and replanted parts of them to raise the quality of the raw material to the level he needs for the Appassimento process. The standard is consistent: only healthy grapes from selected sites are used. In case of doubt, a plot is replanted before compromises are made regarding quality.
The heart of the cellar concept is the so-called stock-appassimento: the grapes remain on the vine until the berries raisin and have lost a large part of their water content. Only then are they harvested, fermented in the tank, and subsequently aged for at least twelve months in large wooden barrels. Compared to the classic Appassimento process, where grapes wither in drying rooms after harvest, Camivini works directly with the Sicilian climate — sun and dryness are not a risk here, but the actual tool.
The Tank series: Appassimento without heaviness
What distinguishes the Tank wines from Camivini from many other Appassimentos is their balance. Dense texture, intense aromas of dried fruits, and a light raisin note are part of the style profile — but without the over-ripeness or alcoholic punch often found in the Appassimento segment. The wines retain a tension-building acidity that keeps the concentrate of fruit and sweetness in balance.
The range focuses on indigenous grape varieties: Nero d'Avola from the sites near Marsala forms the basis of Tank 26, Syrah that of Tank 11. Tank 32 relies on Primitivo from Apulia. Grillo, the Sicilian white wine variety, complements the series as Tank 57 in the Appassimento style. The numbering is no coincidence: it reflects the self-image of the series — clear, sober, craft-oriented, without folkloric presentation. Those who like dense southern wines with substance that do not fail due to the heaviness of their own aromas will find in the Tank series what many promise but only few implement.
