Manenti

The Manenti family established its winemaking operation in the 1970s in the Vittoria-Acate area of Ragusa province, the historic heart of what would later become the Cerasuolo di Vittoria DOCG appellation. Cerasuolo di Vittoria, granted DOCG status in 2005, is Sicily's only DOCG and the only appellation in the southeast where the mandatory blend of Nero d'Avola and Frappato is codified in law. The Classico subzone within the DOCG (covering the historic communes of Vittoria, Acate, Comiso, and parts of Chiaramonte Gulfi, Santa Croce Camerina, and others) defines the appellation's traditional production area, and the Manenti vineyards sit squarely within this core. As the appellation has gained international recognition over the past two decades, smaller family estates like Manenti have become reference points for classical Vittoria expression alongside larger producers such as COS, Planeta, Avide, and Valle dell'Acate. The Manenti house has retained its artisan character and small production scale throughout the appellation's rising profile, focusing on traditional vinification rather than scaling up commercially.

• Manenti family founded the winemaking operation in the 1970s in the Vittoria-Acate area of Ragusa province
• Cerasuolo di Vittoria DOCG (Sicily's only DOCG, granted 2005) codifies the mandatory Nero d'Avola plus Frappato blend
• Vineyards sit within the Classico subzone covering the historic communes of Vittoria, Acate, Comiso, and adjacent areas
• Retained artisan character and small production scale as the appellation gained international recognition over the past two decades

Manenti farms approximately 10 hectares of organically tended vineyards in the Vittoria-Acate plain and gentle slopes between the Iblei foothills and the Mediterranean coast. The Cerasuolo di Vittoria DOCG zone is characterised by sandy and calcareous-clay soils, with significant areas of the deep red iron-rich terra rossa that lends the appellation its characteristic warm-toned soil profile. Elevations range from near sea level on the coastal plain up to around 300 metres in the hills behind Vittoria and Acate, providing meaningful diurnal temperature variation that helps preserve Frappato's signature acidity and aromatic lift even in Sicily's warm Mediterranean climate. Manenti's vineyards include parcels of Frappato trained as traditional alberello (low-trained bush vines) alongside more modern guyot-trained Nero d'Avola plantings, with Insolia and Grillo dedicated to the white wine program. Organic farming protects soil biology in a region where intensive viticulture has historically been the norm.

• Approximately 10 hectares of organically tended vineyards in the Vittoria-Acate plain and adjacent gentle slopes
• Cerasuolo di Vittoria DOCG zone soils: sandy and calcareous-clay with significant terra rossa (iron-rich red soil)
• Elevations from near sea level on the coastal plain up to around 300 metres in the hills behind Vittoria and Acate
• Frappato often trained as traditional alberello bush vines; Insolia and Grillo dedicated to the white wine program

Manenti practices traditional vinification across the range with an emphasis on preserving varietal transparency rather than imposing modernist concentration or new-oak influence. Cerasuolo di Vittoria DOCG Classico is produced from co-fermented or separately fermented Nero d'Avola and Frappato within the appellation's mandatory 50 to 70 percent Nero d'Avola plus 30 to 50 percent Frappato ratio, with maceration kept moderate to preserve Frappato's signature aromatic lift and red-cherry brightness. Fermentation runs in stainless steel with cultured or indigenous yeasts depending on vintage, and aging takes place primarily in stainless steel and neutral large cask rather than barrique. The Vittoria DOC varietal Frappato emphasises the grape's characteristic pale ruby colour, sour-cherry fruit, rose-petal aromatics, and gentle structure. The varietal Nero d'Avola shows deeper colour, plummy fruit, Mediterranean herb, and grippier tannins. Insolia and Grillo whites are vinified in stainless steel to preserve their fresh citrus, stone fruit, and saline-mineral profiles. The overall house signature is freshness, drinkability, and classical appellation character.

• Cerasuolo di Vittoria DOCG Classico follows the mandatory 50 to 70 percent Nero d'Avola plus 30 to 50 percent Frappato blend ratio
• Moderate maceration preserves Frappato's aromatic lift and red-cherry brightness rather than imposing extraction
• Aging primarily in stainless steel and neutral large cask; minimal new oak across the range
• Vittoria DOC varietal Frappato and Nero d'Avola showcase each grape's individual character outside the mandatory blend

Manenti's role within Cerasuolo di Vittoria DOCG sits in the small-artisan tier alongside other family estates that anchor the appellation's traditional identity. The DOCG, Sicily's only one, codifies the Nero d'Avola plus Frappato blend tradition that has defined southeastern Sicilian red wine for centuries. Frappato contributes pale colour, high-toned aromatic lift, sour-cherry fruit, rose-petal floral notes, and bright acidity; Nero d'Avola contributes deeper colour, plummy structure, Mediterranean herb, and tannic backbone. The blend produces a wine of moderate weight, fresh red-cherry fruit, herbal-floral complexity, and exceptional food-friendliness, particularly with the rich southeastern Sicilian cuisine. The appellation has gained international recognition as natural-wine and organic-leaning critics have championed Cerasuolo di Vittoria as a Mediterranean alternative to fuller-bodied Sicilian reds. Manenti's bottlings appear regularly in Italian wine guides at the entry-to-moderate tier, with the flagship Cerasuolo di Vittoria DOCG Classico providing the most accessible introduction to the appellation's classical style.

• Cerasuolo di Vittoria DOCG = Sicily's only DOCG; codifies the Nero d'Avola plus Frappato blend tradition central to southeastern Sicilian red wine
• Frappato contributes pale colour, sour-cherry fruit, rose-petal aromatics, and bright acidity; Nero d'Avola adds depth, plum, herb, and tannic backbone
• Blend produces moderate-weight wine of fresh red-cherry fruit, herbal-floral lift, and exceptional food-friendliness
• Manenti sits in the small-artisan tier alongside family estates that anchor the appellation's traditional identity

The Manenti estate near Vittoria-Acate welcomes visitors by appointment for tastings and tours of the vineyards and cellar. The Cerasuolo di Vittoria DOCG zone sits within easy reach of southeastern Sicily's UNESCO Val di Noto towns (Ragusa Ibla, Modica, Noto, Scicli, Comiso) and the Mediterranean coast at Marina di Ragusa and Punta Secca, all of which combine well with a winery visit. Local gastronomy provides natural pairings: scaccia ragusana (a stuffed flatbread traditional to the area), pasta with sausage and tomato, grilled meats, and Ragusano DOP cheese all support classical Cerasuolo di Vittoria. The Modican chocolate tradition (Aztec-style stone-ground unrefined chocolate dating from Spanish-rule influence) pairs interestingly with the more structured varietal Nero d'Avola. The estate's wines appear at Vinitaly in Verona each April and at southeastern Sicily wine events. Tasting flights typically span the Insolia or Grillo white, the varietal Frappato, the varietal Nero d'Avola, the flagship Cerasuolo di Vittoria DOCG Classico, and the reserve tier expression when available.

• Manenti estate near Vittoria-Acate welcomes visitors by appointment for tastings and vineyard tours
• Combines with southeastern Sicily's UNESCO Val di Noto towns: Ragusa Ibla, Modica, Noto, Scicli, Comiso
• Local pairings: scaccia ragusana, pasta with sausage and tomato, grilled meats, Ragusano DOP cheese, Modican chocolate
• Tasting flight spans Insolia or Grillo whites, varietal Frappato, varietal Nero d'Avola, flagship Cerasuolo di Vittoria DOCG Classico, and reserve expressions