Winemaker Notes
Feudo Principi di Butera is a state-of-the-art winery situated in the south-eastern part of the Province of Caltanissetta in Sicily and is part of the DOC district of Riesi. The estate is approximately two hours from the city of Palermo, and has a total of 320 hectares, 170 of which are under vine, as well as 3,000 olive trees. Butera is a historical estate, which once belonged to noble families, such as Sicily’s first prince Ambrogio Branciforte. The Prince resided there beginning in the year 1543. More recently, the Zonin family acquired and restored the estate in 1997 after conducting thorough research on the best-suited areas in Sicily for vineyard cultivation. After years of meticulous work the estate has been restored to its original splendor, and its ancient watchtower now offers breathtaking views of the surrounding vineyards. Its proximity to the sea, optimal elevation, abundance of sunlight, and rich soil and hilly terrain, provide the ideal conditions to yield outstanding wines. Butera is steeped in the rich patchwork of history, tradition and extraordinary wines of Sicily.
When asked to name common Italian red grapes, most wine drinkers would probably begin with Sangiovese and continue with various other indigenous varieties. But Merlot (along with several other international varieties) has a significant presence in Italy, with over 60,000 acres planted. Granted, much of this is everyday quaffing wine grown in the northeast by producers taking advantage of the vine’s prolific nature, especially in the Veneto and Friuli.
But through much of the country the wine is grown with more care and used predominantly as a blending agent, thereby adding a certain soft, fleshy appeal to a great many reds. Of course, this practice is often not mentioned on labels. In Tuscany, Merlot appears in a wide variety of blends, as well as sometimes in Chianti Classico. In fact, Italian Merlot reaches its greatest heights in the coastal Tuscan region of Maremma. Here it appears in blends and – spectacularly – in 100% varietal expressions like Masseto, L’Apparita and Messorio. Italian Merlots such as these boast the power, concentration and complexity seen in the finest examples from Bordeaux’s Right Bank.