Riofavara

Early vineyard chronology

The earliest dated vineyard associated with Riofavara is the 3.50-hectare planting in Contrada San Basilio, established in 1985. It combines alberello-trained vines with espalier rows trained to bilateral cordon. A 1.50-hectare Nero d’Avola vineyard in Contrada Favara–Biduri followed in 1992, planted to spur-pruned cordon over calcareous pebbles and a calcareous-silty matrix associated with the Tellaro formation.

First releases

San Basilio, described as the family’s historic wine, debuted with the 1994 vintage. Its original label depicted the Loggiato del Sinatra in Ispica; the present design is a stylised interpretation of that first label.

Spaccaforno followed with its first vintage in 1996. The wine draws its name from the former name of Ispica and belongs to the historic Eloro red-wine tradition of the Ispica–Pachino–Noto triangle.

Expansion at Miucia

A 1.50-hectare Moscato vineyard was established in Contrada Miucia–Malutiempu in 2000. It supplied the first vintage of Notissimo in 2002. A north-facing 0.50-hectare parcel for the estate’s Metodo Classico was planted at Miucia in 2008, with the first sparkling-wine vintage produced in 2010.

A further 0.80-hectare Nero d’Avola parcel was planted at Miucia in 2015 using the alberello pachinese system. Its fruit joined that of the 1992 Favara–Biduri vineyard in Sciavè, a selection whose first vintage had been produced in 2001.

Recovery of heritage varieties

In 2017, Riofavara planted a 0.60-hectare east-southeast-facing parcel at Miucia with the recovered varieties Recunu, Cutrera and Rucignola. These varieties were present in Sicily by the mid-19th century but had largely disappeared because of their low productivity. Rucignola was recovered and selected in the Ispica area. The parcel produced the first vintage of Nsajàr in 2019.

The wider Miucia project reflects a long-standing family ambition to assemble traditional Sicilian grapes on a single ventilated hill, varying exposure, planting density, rootstock and training or pruning system—from Guyot and bilateral cordon to alberello—and including heritage varieties.

Southeastern Sicilia

Riofavara is based at Contrada Favara in Ispica, in the Val di Noto of southeastern Sicilia. Its viticultural setting lies between the provinces of Ragusa and Siracusa. The local winegrowing territory forms an approximate triangle with Ispica at its western point and the final stretch of Ionian coast below Siracusa—from Avola to Pachino—forming its eastern side. The climate is described as warm and ventilated, with an arid, sunny and maritime character.

The coastal contrade of San Lorenzo and Sichilli, between Marzamemi and the Vendicari oasis, lie only metres from the sea and have particularly thin sandy soils. Inland contrade including San Basilio, Buonivini, Miucia, Baroni, Costefredde, Burgio and Biduri are characterised by pale, sometimes intensely white, calcareous soils with very fine textures, on both level ground and small hills. The combination of limestone, fine texture, Mediterranean vegetation and maritime influence is associated with structured Nero d’Avola and an iodine-like character.

Favara and Miucia

Favara Cozzo Campana lies at approximately 40 m above sea level. Its clay-limestone soil contains sand and pebbles. Rainfall is described as scarce, reaching only 150–200 mm annually even in rainy years.

Miucia occupies a higher, sheltered and ventilated hill at 80–120 m above sea level. Its fine-textured clay soil is strongly calcareous and contains abundant small stones. It combines very high water-retention capacity with effective drainage provided by the slope of the rows. Rainfall is likewise given as 150–200 mm in rainy years. The calcareous-clay matrix and varied aspects support differentiated planting densities, rootstocks and training systems.

Contrada Marza adds a coastal environment shaped by the Pantani della Marza, saline pools that form in winter under the influence of marine currents. The surrounding wetland and coast provide a stopping place for pink flamingos during autumn and spring migrations.

Riofavara practises natural and organic agriculture throughout its vineyards, with the stated goals of respecting nature and avoiding environmental pollution. Bioagricert controls and certifies the full organic chain from grape growing through transformation and bottling. VinNatur controls production and process for natural-wine certification.

Vine treatments are applied only when necessary and use natural materials: sulphur, plant preparations, clays and pyrethrum. Fertility is maintained with manure from Modicana cattle combined with the estate’s winemaking by-products, integrating a historically used practice into a circular production model.

All operations on the vine are performed manually. Green pruning is used to control the canopy, and surplus bunches may be removed, although this has only rarely been necessary. The stated five-year average yield is approximately 35–40 quintals per hectare, equivalent to 3.5–4.0 tonnes/ha.

Harvesting is manual and selective. Individual vineyards may be picked in several passes to reach their optimal maturity. Some white grapes are collected during the coolest morning hours, while grapes for Metodo Classico are harvested in small 10 kg boxes. The estate deliberately limits production in favour of quality and manages the full chain itself, from cultivation to bottling.

Cellar approach

The cellar is conceived as being “dedicated to the vineyards.” Grapes are handled simply, using modern vinification techniques while retaining local traditions and seeking the least intrusive practical approach in both vineyard and cellar.

Soft pressing is performed with a membrane press. White musts undergo static clarification. Riofavara pioneered the self-selection of indigenous Nero d’Avola yeasts, and primary fermentations are carried out without commercial selected yeasts. A previously activated must or pied de cuve may be used to initiate fermentation.

Important reds mature in oak tonneaux and barriques supplied by French and Sicilian cooperages. Red wines are bottled without filtration or induced tartaric stabilisation; white wines receive filtration only.

The cellar also employs stainless steel and wide glass-lined concrete vats. Practices used across production include temperature-controlled fermentation, manual pump-overs and punch-downs, fractional soft pressing, low-temperature white fermentation and maturation in steel, oak and bottle. The traditional Val di Noto quarantuotturi method gives selected reds no more than 48 hours of skin contact before gradual pressing.

Metodo Classico production involves cold settling of the must, fermentation at 12–14°C, bottling of the base wine with frozen must and yeast in spring, and at least 12–14 months of secondary fermentation with bottles stored horizontally at a constant 12–14°C. Remuage moves the sediment towards the bidule and closure before disgorgement. The bottles are topped with a natural liqueur derived from matured bottles at zero dosage, then rested for several months before release.

The production chain is circular and remains under Riofavara’s control from vineyard cultivation through bottling.