About this wine
Vineyard and terroir
The Cabernet Sauvignon vineyard lies along the western edge of Tenuta Belicello in Menfi, near Sicily’s southwestern coast, where the Belice River curves around the estate. The vineyards form a natural amphitheatre with a distinctive, humid microclimate. River water enters the deep sandy soils, bringing trace elements into the ground.
The vines were planted in 1999 at a density of 4,300 vines per hectare, and yields are kept low. Red roses are planted around the vineyard as sensitive indicators of potential infection.
Vinification
The grapes are harvested by hand in mid-September, then destemmed and gently pressed. The must undergoes 12 days of skin maceration before fermenting in stainless-steel tanks at 25–28 °C, followed by malolactic fermentation.
Ageing
The wine matures for 15 months in French tonneaux and a single 30-hectolitre Slavonian oak cask. It then rests in bottle for a further 12 months.
Label / history
The wine takes its name from the bend of the Belice River around Tenuta Belicello: La Vota means “turn” or “current” in Italian. Cantine Barbera is a family winery founded in 2001 and run by sisters Marilena and Daniela Barbera, who learned winemaking from their father before receiving professional training. The family owns 12 hectares of vineyards and rents another 3 hectares.
