About this wine
Vineyard and terroir
The fruit comes from the Dispensa, Gurra and Maroccoli vineyards at Menfi and the Buonivini vineyard at Noto. Altitudes vary considerably: 35–75 m at Gurra, 40–70 m at Buonivini, 45–75 m at Dispensa and 370–430 m at Maroccoli.
Each site has a distinct calcareous profile. Dispensa has moderately deep, chalk-tending and moderately calcareous soil with almost no skeleton. Maroccoli is calcareous, with abundant medium-sized skeleton, little chalk and substantial silty areas. Gurra is moderately deep and very chalky, with little limestone and no skeleton. Buonivini consists of fine-textured calcareous marl with abundant small skeleton and pale chalk fragments.
The vines are trained on espaliers using spurred-cordon and Guyot pruning. Planting density ranges from 4,545 to 5,050 vines per hectare. Yields are 80–90 quintals per hectare at Dispensa, 80 at Gurra, 70–80 at Maroccoli and 70 at Buonivini.
Cultivation follows organic-farming criteria and the SOStain® protocol. Cover crops of beans, vetch and wildflowers build soil organic matter and nitrogen and support soil microfauna. Vine health is managed with minimal sulphur and copper, while pests are controlled through beneficial insects, mating disruption, zeolite, kaolin and plant extracts. The wine is certified organic and SOStain®.
Grapes
50% Nero d’Avola, 25% Merlot, 20% Syrah and 5% Cabernet Franc.
Vinification
Harvest runs from 25 August to 20 September. The grapes travel to the cellar in small and medium-sized trailers, where they are destemmed and pressed before entering 114, 160 and 213 hL stainless-steel vats.
Fermentation lasts seven to eight days. The cap is worked three times daily through short pump-overs of 12–25 minutes, adjusted to the fermentation stage to handle the skins and fruit gently. Temperature is held near 16–17 °C during the initial phase. Cooling is subsequently stopped, allowing fermentation to finish at 24–25 °C. The skins are removed after alcoholic fermentation.
Malolactic fermentation takes place in the same vats. Once it is complete, between November and December, the wine is racked.
Ageing
Maturation continues in stainless-steel vats. The 2024 vintage has a stated bottling date of December 2025.
Technical data
Sicilia D.O.C. The 2024 vintage contains 13% alcohol by volume, with total acidity of 5.70 g/L and pH 3.45. Available bottle sizes are 0.375 L and 0.75 L. Closures include DIAM®, NOMACORC® and STELVIN®; the 0.75 L bottle weighs 400 g.
Tasting profile
An intense, vivid ruby red. Currant and mulberry lead the aroma, followed by subtle spice, mint, cocoa and Modica chocolate. Ripe wild-berry flavours shape the palate and are balanced by a full, herbaceous character. Soft, polished tannins give the wine an accessible and versatile profile.
Serving and pairing
Made for everyday drinking, it accompanies Mediterranean first courses, light meat dishes, vegetables and oily fish. It can be enjoyed immediately or aged for two to three years.
Vintage notes
Blend proportions vary by vintage. Latest published composition: 50% Nero d’Avola, 25% Merlot, 20% Syrah, 5% Cabernet Franc.
Reduced vine activity resulted in less flowering and looser bunches. Harvest began approximately 15–18 days earlier than usual, helped by soil and air temperatures, and the fruit reached the cellar in excellent health. Menfi produced particularly strong red grapes, notably Nero d’Avola and Syrah. Organic vineyard management proved especially effective under the dry conditions.
Label / history
First produced in 1995, La Segreta takes its name from the woodland surrounding the Ulmo vineyards. The fruit has always come exclusively from vineyards long owned by the Planeta family.
The original label drew on an eighteenth-century map of the area, reflecting the family’s historical connection to the property. Its redesigned artwork turns instead to Sicilian nature and the painted herbarium created around the turn of the nineteenth century by Sicilian pharmacist Giuseppe Riggio with the assistance of an artist. Herbs, flowers and roots evoke the island’s less visible botanical richness.
Recognition
The official recognition list records 91 points from James Suckling and Wine Enthusiast for 2020; 91 points from James Suckling and a Sakura Gold award for 2019; 91 points from James Suckling and Sakura Gold for 2018; Sakura Gold for 2017; and 92 points from James Suckling for 2016.