About this wine
Vineyard and terroir
Passito di Noto comes from the Agliastro and Buonivini vineyards in Noto, in the province of Syracuse. The vines grow at 40 m above sea level in lime-marl soils with numerous small elements, a fine texture and pale chalk fragments. Planting density is 5,050 vines per hectare, and the vines are trained on espalier with Guyot pruning. Yield is 90 quintals of fresh grapes per hectare before drying.
The vineyards are farmed organically under SOStain® protocols. Beans, vetch and wildflowers provide ground cover, organic matter and nitrogen while supporting soil microfauna. Plant protection uses very small quantities of sulphur and copper, beneficial insects, mating disruption, and natural materials including zeolite, kaolin and plant extracts.
Grapes
100% Moscato Bianco. The wine is certified organic and SOStain®.
Vinification
For the 2025 vintage, harvesting took place from 13 to 21 August. The grapes were picked by hand into crates holding 5–6 kg and transferred to a chamber maintained at 21°C and below 75% relative humidity. They dried for five weeks; the crates were inspected daily and agitated weekly until the fruit had lost 42% of its weight.
The dried clusters remained in their crates during transport to the winery. They were sorted on a selection table, imperfect berries were discarded, and the accepted fruit was destemmed. The resulting must was held with all its lees at 6°C for 15 days. Fermentation of the clear must then continued for approximately 45 days, reaching the intended balance between sugar and alcohol before being stopped with cold.
Ageing
After fermentation, the wine rested for several months before bottling. The 2025 vintage was scheduled for bottling in March 2026, using single-piece natural corks.
Technical data
- Alcohol: 12% vol.
- Residual sugar: 183 g/L
- Total acidity: 10 g/L
- pH: 3.08
- Formats: 0.75 L and 1.5 L
- First vintage: 2003
- Certified organic wine and SOStain®
Tasting profile
Controlled drying at moderate temperatures encourages enzymatic development and aromatic complexity. The profile combines ripe loquat, dried apricot, chestnut honey, rose petals, papaya and quince. Additional notes include exotic fruit, jasmine and citrus.
Serving and pairing
The wine suits relatively dry desserts, especially those enriched with fruit showing marked acidity. It can accompany Modica chocolate in its various forms, marzipan preparations, cassata, cannoli and other ricotta-cream desserts, as well as traditional Sicilian sweets and ices. It has long ageing potential.
Vintage notes
The 2025 growing season in south-eastern Sicily featured a cool summer that produced healthy, balanced, ripe and fresh grapes. Noto received somewhat more rain through spring storms near the sea, while the summer avoided excessive heat. These conditions enabled an early Moscato harvest. The resulting wines were described as intense and strongly expressive of Noto, although the vintage assessment remained preliminary.
Label / history
Passito di Noto draws on Sicily’s long tradition of sweet wines. Moscato—and the diverse group historically described as “moscati”—has been associated with the island’s earliest wines; Biblino of Syracuse is presented as a possible ancestor of modern Moscato Passito di Noto. The style combines this historical identity with a controlled contemporary drying method designed to preserve the grape’s aromatic character.