Storia
The historic site
Tenuta San Carlo stands in Partinico on a site whose origins predate its surviving nineteenth-century architecture. Its principal historic structure is a nineteenth-century baglio built over the foundations of a site described as millennial. The property also contains Torre San Carlo, a tower constructed for defence and observation; the surrounding district took its name from this tower.
Moscato in the nineteenth century
The history associated with the estate's sweet Moscato reaches back to the mid-nineteenth century. Henri d’Orléans, Duke of Aumale, produced Moscato in the territory between Partinico and Terrasini. The wine circulated across Europe and was regarded at the time as one of Italy's leading Moscatos.
Production subsequently disappeared almost entirely, leaving the historical Moscato as a nearly lost local tradition.
Recovery of Moscato Bianco
A small number of Moscato Bianco clones were recovered in recent times. The recovered material became the basis of Moscato dello Zucco, produced from the vineyard beside the winery at Tenuta San Carlo. Production is deliberately limited to a small number of individually numbered bottles.
Renewal of the estate
The historic complex was renovated while retaining and enhancing the original body of the baglio and its walled garden. Modern spaces for winemaking and offices were created within the renewed site.
Tenuta San Carlo now serves as the operational home where wines are made and aged and where new projects are developed. During harvest, grapes from the different Cusumano estates are delivered to the Partinico winery. The production principle is to work exclusively with grapes grown in the group's own vineyards.
Terroir
Tenuta San Carlo is located in Partinico, in the province of Palermo. Its Moscato Bianco vineyard lies beside the winery and has a southern exposure.
The vineyard forms part of a landscape centred on the historic nineteenth-century baglio, its walled garden and Torre San Carlo. No individual soil profile, geological description, altitude, climatic data or rainfall figures are defined for this vineyard.
Vinificazione
The Moscato Bianco vineyard has a southern exposure and is planted at 5,000 vines per hectare. Its stated yield is 6,500 kg per hectare.
Harvest takes place manually during the second week of September. The grapes are allowed to reach advanced ripeness and are selected directly in the vineyard. Each selected bunch is then placed in a single layer inside a perforated crate holding approximately 3 kg, preparing the fruit for cellar drying.
The wider production policy is based on the exclusive use of grapes from vineyards belonging to the Cusumano estates. Each vineyard is managed according to the time and attention it requires.
Tenuta San Carlo is the Partinico facility where wines are made and aged. During harvest, grapes grown at the different Cusumano estates are brought to this winery; the production policy excludes fruit from outside vineyards.
The renewed nineteenth-century baglio incorporates modern winemaking areas and offices while retaining the original architectural body and walled garden.
For the estate's Moscato Bianco, grapes harvested at advanced ripeness are selected in the vineyard and arranged in a single layer in perforated crates of approximately 3 kg. Drying takes place inside the winery until the grapes have lost 50% of their initial weight. The dried fruit then undergoes very gentle pressing, followed by 12 hours of static settling. The must ferments in small oak barrels and remains in those vessels until bottling. Only a small quantity is produced, in numbered bottles.
Filosofia
Tenuta San Carlo combines the reuse of a historic agricultural complex with contemporary wine production. The renovation was conceived to enhance the original baglio and walled garden while accommodating modern winemaking and administrative functions.
Its production philosophy rests on complete control of the raw material: grapes processed at Partinico come exclusively from the group's own vineyards. Vineyard work is approached individually, with each site receiving the time it requires.
The recovery of nearly lost Moscato Bianco clones expresses a parallel commitment to historical continuity and experimentation. The resulting project revives a nineteenth-century wine tradition through limited production rather than large-scale output.
The phrase attributed to Enzo Rinaldi, “The victory of optimism over pessimism,” encapsulates the estate's stated outlook, while its work is presented as an ongoing journey rather than a completed programme.