About this wine
Vineyard and terroir
Salealto is a cru from hillside vineyards at Tenuta Ficuzza in Piana degli Albanesi. The sites lie between 700 and 800 metres above sea level, with 5,000 vines per hectare and a yield of 60 quintals per hectare.
Grapes
Blend proportions vary by vintage. The latest published technical composition is 40% Insolia, 40% Grillo and 20% Zibibbo.
Vinification
The varieties are harvested by hand into crates and vinified separately. Maceration takes place in the press at ambient temperature, followed by static clarification. Fermentation proceeds in stainless steel at 20°C. The separate wines are racked and assembled before remaining on their fine lees for approximately ten months.
Ageing
Approximately ten months on fine lees after blending, followed by further refinement in bottle.
Label / history
Salealto draws on the history of Ferdinand IV of Bourbon and the Real Casina di Caccia di Ficuzza. In the nineteenth century, the king stored wine there that had been made from vineyards around the present estate. After several years of experimentation, the first Salealto was produced in 2018 as a vin du terroir based on native varieties from a single place.
