Welcome to Duca di Salaparuta

THE STORY
The exceptional history of Duca di Salaparuta began in 1824 with the man himself, Giuseppe Alliata, Duke of Salaparuta. The Alliata family, inspired by French techniques, built a new tradition for winemaking in Sicily and really put the island on the map in the world of wine. They ran the winery up until 1961, continuing to strive for excellence and innovation. Duca di Salaparuta is now run as one of three under the wider Duca di Salaparuta group by the Reina family who continue this legacy. As Sicilian frontrunners in sustainability and ethical practices, their ethos is all about preserving the terroir and creating wealth and opportunity across Sicily.
Duca di Salaparuta set themselves up for a challenge choosing to farm the land on the slopes of Sicily’s famous volcano, Etna. This unforgiving landscape is home to unique soil and a particular microclimate that makes it the perfect place to grow red grapes.

THE LAND 
When purchasing the vineyards Duca di Salaparuta carefully selected the most suitable terrains for each grape variety. Premium terroirs, on hillsides with exposed breezes, on sunlit and healthy ground have enabled the vineyard to grow its grapes in naturally suitable conditions. 

HOW ITS MADE 
Once the grapes that have passed the strict quality checks are finally unloaded for destalking, each grape variety is de-stemmed and processed individually. This allows the team to follow the evolution and performance of each territory and each vine separately, before any eventual blending and assembly. 

Then comes the pressing process by which the grapes, after being lightly squeezed, are crushed with a heavy press. This separates the liquid part (must or wine) from the solid part of the grape (the marc). When making red wine, the pressing is carried out after the maceration of grapes with their skins. For white wine, it is carried out on fresh grapes. Meticulous care is taken to ensure all the features of the grape variety are preserved and protected. 

Next is maceration, this process is based on keeping the grape skins in contact with the must during the fermentation process. This step for red grapes additionally helps give the wine its specific colour, and makes the aromas particularly rich. 

For some wines they are barrel aged inside the cellars and the necessary refinement in bottles takes place before putting them on the market.