About this wine
Vineyard and terroir
Cometa comes from the Gurra and Dispensa vineyards at Menfi, in the province of Agrigento. Dispensa lies at 75 metres above sea level and has moderately deep soil tending to chalkiness, with scant to almost absent structure and moderate lime. Gurra, at 35 metres above sea level, has moderately deep, very chalky soil with little lime and absent structure.
The vines are trained on an espalier using Guyot pruning. The vineyards follow organic farming criteria and the SOStain® protocol. Ground cover comprising beans, vetch and wild plants increases soil organic matter and nitrogen while supporting soil microfauna. Vine health is managed with minimal quantities of sulphur and copper; useful insects, mating disruption, zeolite, kaolin and plant extracts are used to deter pests.
Grapes
100% Fiano. Planeta began experimenting with this Campanian variety during the 1990s, seeking to produce a structured Sicilian white capable of comparison with major white wines internationally.
Technical data
Menfi D.O.C. The first vintage was 2000. Cometa is certified as an organic wine and carries the SOStain designation.
Tasting profile
The chalky, lime-rich terrain accentuates Fiano's Mediterranean scrub aromatics. Broom and thyme are joined by delicate notes of chamomile, hay, mango and pomelo. The palate begins with mineral character and lively, thirst-quenching fruit, then becomes slower and more harmonious. Its structure is substantial, while the finish has a silky tactile quality and a refined aftertaste of ripe apricot, flowering almond and basil leaves.
Label / history
Cometa grew out of Planeta's Fiano trials in the 1990s and was conceived as an original Sicilian interpretation of the variety. The project produced its first vintage in 2000.
