Feudo Maccari

Antonio Moretti Cuseri founded Feudo Maccari in 2000, applying the same quality-tier ambition he had brought to his Sette Ponti estate in Tuscany to the southeastern Sicilian terroir near Noto. The Noto valley sits in the original heartland of Nero d'Avola, with the variety taking its name from the nearby hilltown of Avola, and the area was a historic source of bulk and bottled production for centuries before the modern quality renaissance. Moretti Cuseri's investment came at a pivotal moment in Sicilian wine when producers across the island were transitioning from bulk and cooperative production toward estate-bottled premium wine focused on indigenous varieties. The Maccari estate had been a feudo (feudal holding) in earlier centuries, and Moretti Cuseri restored the traditional Sicilian estate model of bush-vine viticulture surrounded by dry-stone walls, building a contemporary cellar adapted to gravity-driven winemaking. The first commercial vintages established Saia as a benchmark Nero d'Avola from the southeastern terroir, distinct from both western Sicilian and central highland styles.

• Founded 2000 by Antonio Moretti Cuseri, the Tuscan entrepreneur behind Sette Ponti in Chianti country
• Located in the Noto valley of southeastern Sicily, the historic heartland of Nero d'Avola (named after the hilltown of Avola)
• Investment came at a pivotal moment in Sicilian quality wine, with the island transitioning from bulk and cooperative production toward estate-bottled premium wine
• Restored the traditional Sicilian estate model: bush-vine alberello viticulture surrounded by dry-stone walls; contemporary gravity-driven cellar

Feudo Maccari covers 80 hectares of vineyards in the Noto valley of southeastern Sicily, in the area covered by the Eloro DOC and the broader Sicilia DOC appellation. The estate is famously surrounded by four to five kilometres of traditional dry-stone walls (muretti a secco), the characteristic landscape feature of southeastern Sicily and the Ragusa-Siracusa coastal hinterland. The vineyards are planted on red sandy soils similar to those that define the Cerasuolo di Vittoria area further west, providing excellent drainage and warm thermal character that suits Nero d'Avola's heat tolerance and ripening profile. Bush-vine alberello training, the traditional method of southeastern Sicily, dominates the planted area, with the vines yielding small concentrated bunches and naturally low yields. The estate's proximity to the Ionian coast moderates the summer heat through evening breezes off the sea, preserving acidity in the otherwise hot Mediterranean climate. The Avola hilltown a short distance to the north names the variety and grounds the historical identity of southeastern Nero d'Avola.

• 80 hectares in the Noto valley of southeastern Sicily; covered by the Eloro DOC and Sicilia DOC appellations
• Surrounded by 4-5 km of traditional dry-stone walls (muretti a secco), the characteristic landscape feature of southeastern Sicily
• Red sandy soils similar to Cerasuolo di Vittoria: excellent drainage and warm thermal character ideal for Nero d'Avola
• Bush-vine alberello training dominates; proximity to Ionian coast moderates summer heat through evening sea breezes

Feudo Maccari's winemaking philosophy emphasises clean varietal expression of southeastern Sicilian Nero d'Avola, with a deliberate restraint on oak that distinguishes the producer from heavier modernist styles. The estate works primarily with Nero d'Avola across multiple price tiers, supplemented by Grillo for white wine and small lots of Moscato-based local sweet wine. The flagship Saia is sourced from selected old-vine alberello parcels, fermented in stainless steel, then aged in French oak barriques for approximately 12-14 months; the wine balances concentrated fruit with structured tannins and shows the variety at its most expressive. Maccari Nero d'Avola, the entry-level bottling, sees minimal oak influence and emphasises bright fruit and approachability. Mahàris occupies the premium tier with more concentrated old-vine fruit and longer oak aging. The Grillo bottling delivers the variety's characteristic Mediterranean profile of citrus, white peach, and saline minerality. The house style across the range avoids both jammy over-ripeness and heavy new-oak overlay, prioritising terroir transparency.

• Saia flagship: 100% Nero d'Avola from selected old-vine alberello parcels; fermented in stainless steel, then aged 12-14 months in French oak barriques
• Maccari Nero d'Avola entry tier: minimal oak, bright fruit, approachable everyday southeastern Nero d'Avola
• Mahàris premium tier: concentrated old-vine Nero d'Avola with longer oak aging; top of the Nero d'Avola hierarchy at the estate
• House style avoids both jammy over-ripeness and heavy new-oak overlay, prioritising terroir transparency and varietal clarity

Feudo Maccari occupies a clearly defined position in modern Sicilian wine: a quality-tier producer focused almost exclusively on Nero d'Avola from the southeastern terroir, with a fruit-forward, balanced house style that has found broad international acceptance. The producer is widely cited as a reference for southeastern Sicilian Nero d'Avola, alongside producers such as Planeta (whose Buonivini estate is also in the Noto area) and a small group of producers working the southeastern landscape. The estate's position under the Antonio Moretti Cuseri portfolio, alongside Sette Ponti in Chianti country and Poggio al Lupo in the Tuscan Maremma, provides commercial scale and international distribution that small Sicilian producers often lack, helping carry the southeastern Sicilian style into US, UK, and broader European markets. Saia regularly appears on by-the-glass and reserve-list selections in Italian and international restaurants, and the producer is associated with Assovini Sicilia events and the broader marketing efforts promoting Sicilian quality wine internationally.

• Reference producer for southeastern Sicilian Nero d'Avola, alongside the Buonivini area work by other quality producers
• Antonio Moretti Cuseri portfolio: Feudo Maccari (Sicily) + Sette Ponti (Chianti) + Poggio al Lupo (Maremma); commercial scale supports international distribution
• Saia regularly featured on by-the-glass and reserve-list selections in Italian and international restaurants
• Associated with Assovini Sicilia events and the broader marketing of Sicilian quality wine internationally

The Feudo Maccari estate near Noto welcomes visitors for guided tours and tastings by appointment, with the dry-stone-walled vineyard landscape providing one of the most visually distinctive winery visits in Sicily. Noto itself is a UNESCO World Heritage Baroque town rebuilt after the 1693 Sicilian earthquake, and combines easily with a Maccari visit on a southeastern Sicily itinerary. The area sits between Siracusa to the north (with its ancient Greek archaeology) and the Ragusa-Modica Baroque towns to the west, placing the estate in the heart of southeastern Sicily's main cultural-tourism corridor. Tasting flights typically include the Maccari Nero d'Avola entry bottling, the Grillo white, the flagship Saia, and the premium Mahàris when available. Sicilia en Primeur (organised by Assovini Sicilia each spring) is a primary commercial showcase, and the producer participates in international wine events under the Antonio Moretti Cuseri portfolio umbrella alongside Sette Ponti.

• Estate near Noto: guided tours and tastings by appointment; dry-stone-walled vineyard landscape provides distinctive visual identity
• Noto UNESCO World Heritage Baroque town nearby; combines with Siracusa and Ragusa-Modica on southeastern Sicily itineraries
• Tasting flights: Maccari Nero d'Avola, Grillo, the flagship Saia, and premium Mahàris when available
• Sicilia en Primeur (Assovini Sicilia, each spring): primary commercial showcase for southeastern Sicilian producers including Feudo Maccari