From the countryside of Dorilli, between the sea and the Iblean mountains, known as the centre of excellence for Sicilian food, comes our Cerasuolo di Vittoria. The name of the only DOCG in Sicily comes from ‘Cerasa’, cherry in Sicilian dialect. It is produced from the indigenous varieties Nero d’Avola and Frappato. A unique wine, recognisable and unforgettable for its youthful flavours and aromas of cherry, strawberry and pomegranate, due to the particular soil and climate in which the grapes are cultivated. wine which like few others combines tradition and delicious wine.
Planeta’s story is one of courage and hard work, of innovation and tradition. The company and the family share their values, both with an eye to the future and with their feet firmly on the ground.
Courage and innovation since the 1990’s, due to several of that generation of the family then in their twenties led by Alessio Planeta and under the protective care of the founder Diego Planeta, who initiated a completely new project, placing wine in the centre of the family’s farming activities.
After establishing the first winery at Ulmo in 1994 the ‘Viaggio in Sicilia’ took off, in other words, the search for the best known areas of the island in order to create independent wineries and produce what would be considered the best wines in each area, working with indigenous vines while continuing to experiment with international varieties.
These last were developed particularly at Menfi, the working centre of the company, where the number of vines and wineries always continued to increase.
The next stage of the journey took place at Vittoria in 1997, where the only Sicilian DOCG, Cerasuolo di Vittoria, then existed, initially with vineyards and followed up with the purchase of the Dorilli estate.
Next Noto in 1998 with the acquisition of Buonivini and with the specific intention of achieving the excellence of Nero d’Avola within its region of origin.
Then Etna with the acquisition of the first 12 hectares of land at Sciaranuova on the northern slopes of the volcano in 2008, and the gradual purchase of more land bringing the total area to 40 hectares, devoted to Nerello Mascalese and Carricante, with small trial areas of Pinot Noir and Riesling.
This wonderful journey has for the moment finished at Capo Milazzo, and the tiny winery of Baronia, where since 2011 the focus has been on the DOC Mamertino and various antique indigenous varieties, particularly Nocera.
All this began from that first venture at Ulmo, the estate acquired by the family through marriage in 1694, 17 generations ago, and since then always cultivated with vines and olives; an authentic family tradition.
Now exists their obligation; the values which have always directed the company are tradition, research, the work ethic and respect for the land; to contribute to the progress of the community where they operate; to safeguard the beauty and environmental integrity of those places. This last element is particularly loaded with meaning due to the particular beauty of the areas where the vineyards and wineries are sited. Ulmo, Dispensa, Dorilli, Buonivini, Sciaranuova and La Baronia are unforgettable places, emphasising the saying that good wines are made in beautiful places.
Today there are overall 400 hectares and 7 wineries in five different areas. Each winery has its leading wine-maker, each one is wholly part of its territory on which it is modelled.
Last but not least, Planeta has subscribed to the SOStain protocol since its inception, a final guarantee of its attention to the environment and to the land. It is sufficient to visit any one of the wineries to understand how the environment , the culture and the landscape are fundamental values of the company.