Cantine Settesoli, when cooperation pays off

Cantine Settesoli of Menfi, and the top Mandrarossa line, have a production that covers from everyday wine in bric to wines for more important occasions, always with excellent value for money.

In Sicily, along the west coast, the hills slope gently down to the sea until they intersect the beaches of fine sand that are lost in the crystal-clear waters of the Mediterranean, a blue flag for two decades. We are in what is known as Menfishire, one of the most important wine districts on the island, an area of rare beauty because of the wilderness that generates breathtaking landscapes and the wealth of historical and artistic heritage with the Doric temples of Selinunte and the archaeological site of the city of Heraclea Minoa.

In these places, where nature and agriculture rule, Cantine Settesoli was founded in 1958, a cooperative of 2,000 members among the most important and avant-garde in Southern Italy, which from Menfi expands beyond Montevago, Contessa Entellina, Santa Margherita di Belìce and embraces three provinces. Settesoli has strong ties to the entire district, is the economic engine, 70 percent of the 5,000 families in the Terre Sicane District are involved in various capacities in the business by cultivating vineyards.

The ancient cooperative is emblematic of a Sicily you don't expect, far from outdated stereotypes. What are the company's numbers? Settesoli produces the widest variety of grapes in Sicily, 36 cultivars on 6,000 hectares of vineyards, 7 percent of the entire vineyard area on the island; 1,000 hectares are grown organically. Annual production is 20 million bottles, exports account for 43% of sales and reach 45 countries worldwide.

At Settesoli, even in the early days, they sensed that the added value is the team, is consolidated by enhancing the sense of belonging, responsibility and the achievement of common goals. These processes, by fostering the growth of each individual person, have reflexively made the team and the company grow. The gamble of the winegrowing partners made over sixty years ago has proven successful and is renewed with ever new goals.

Mandrarossa is the prestige brand, a selection of 175 bestowers and 500 hectares of vineyards with one million bottles produced in three territories with a strong vocation for viticulture: Menfi, Etna and Pantelleria. The line of excellence was born in 1999, after more than twenty years of studying and mapping the territories in search of the best variety/terroir combination so that each cultivar can express its maximum potential. Over time, unusual types have been selected for the Sicilian panorama that have settled in well: Fiano, Chenin blanc, Petit verdot, Alicante bouschet and Vermentino.

In the last edition of Taormina Gourmet, Mandrarossa with some of its labels was the protagonist of an interesting winetasting conducted by Daniele Cernili with Roberta Urso and Giovanni Saladino, the communication managers of Settesoli. "Mandrarossa's wines are the result of continuous research and experimentation towards innovation," Roberta Urso said, "Mandrarossa is the expression of a Sicily out of the usual schemes, high quality at competitive prices for a range of wines that are sometimes unique for the regional panorama. All the vineyards slope toward the sea, starting from an altitude of 440 meters to some syrah vines that lap the sea waves."

Recently the new winery was inaugurated arranged on several levels, almost entirely concealed in the natural slope; it encloses the new barrique cellar, two tasting rooms, a wine shop and a terrace overlooking the sea. The building is perfectly integrated into the territorial context, being part of it helps to keep the humidity level stable inside the barrique cellar, naturally favoring the aging of the wine in the best conditions.

These are the wines tasted, to read the card click on the name.

• Terre Siciliane Santanella 2019 
• Terre Siciliane Santanella 2018
• Terre Siciliane Santanella 2017
• Sicilia Nero d’Avola 2021   
• Terre Siciliane Bonera 2020   
• Sicilia Cartagho 2019

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