Vigneti Zabù

From Sambuca di Sicilia to the world: the creation of Vigneti Zabù

Vigneti Zabù is a wine project in southwestern Sicily that emerged from the interplay of two forces: the ambition of Valentino Sciotti, founder of the Fantini Group, and the craftsmanship of local Sicilian winemakers. In 2005, the first of their own vines were planted on the hills around Lago Arancio near Sambuca di Sicilia — an area whose soils have been under the plow since antiquity and bear archaeological traces of millennia-old agriculture. Support came from experienced oenologist Filippo Baccalaro from the parent company Farnese Vini in Abruzzo, who, as a specialist for Southern Italy, shaped the vineyards from the very beginning. The name Zabù is derived from the Arab Emir Al Zabuth, who once gave new impetus to viticulture in Sambuca — a reminder that the cultural depth of this island has many layers.

Terroir and cellar: clay, altitude, and the influence of the lake

The vineyards are located at an altitude of around 400 meters above sea level on clay-rich soils that store moisture and provide stability to the vines even during the hot Sicilian summers. The nearby Lago Arancio plays a concrete climatic role: it moderates daytime temperatures, ensures cool nights, and thus creates the thermal fluctuations that sharpen the aroma and acid structure of the wines. In the cellar, Farnese relies on precise technology without over-processing: Grillo and Nero d'Avola are fermented at low temperatures in stainless steel to preserve freshness and varietal typicity. For the Il Passo Nerello Mascalese, they take a different path — the grapes are left on the vine longer with stems pinched so that the sun and dry Scirocco wind allow them to dry out. This appassimento method on the living vine condenses aromas and structure, similar to the principle of Amarone, but with a Sicilian signature.

Sicilian grape varieties, clear style, two lines

Indigenous varieties are clearly in the foreground in the portfolio: Nero d'Avola and Grillo form the backbone, supplemented by Nerello Mascalese, Syrah, Chardonnay, and Merlot. The base line — Nero d'Avola, Grillo, Syrah — aims for accessible, varietally typical wines with red cherry, spicy depth, and lively acidity. Above this is the Chiantari series, for which stricter quality criteria apply: the wines show more density, texture, and complexity, while remaining Mediterranean-direct in expression. Anyone who does not know Sicily as a heavy, alcohol-laden island, but as a source of mineral, characterful wines, will find a reliable entry point into exactly this style at Vigneti Zabù.