Pellegrino

Paolo Pellegrino, a notary in Marsala, and his son Carlo founded the cantina in 1880, entering the Marsala trade during the late-19th-century industrial boom when the appellation was dominated by Florio and the British houses (Woodhouse, Ingham-Whitaker, and Curatolo Arini's nearby competitor). The family steered the business through 20th-century upheavals (two world wars, Marsala's mid-century commercial decline, and the appellation's quality crisis in the 1970s and 1980s) by maintaining family ownership across seven generations rather than selling to industrial groups. While many competitors closed or were absorbed into multinationals, Pellegrino remained family-owned and gradually expanded into Pantelleria (building a dedicated winery on the volcanic island for Passito production) and broader Sicilian still wines. The seventh generation leads the estate today, with the focus on premium Marsala expressions (Vergine and longer-aged Riserva bottlings), the revival of the Naturale style on Pantelleria, and the development of a complete Sicilia DOC still-wine portfolio.

• Founded 1880 by the notary Paolo Pellegrino and his son Carlo in Marsala; entered the trade during the late-19th-century Marsala industrial boom
• One of only a handful of 19th-century Marsala houses still operating (alongside Florio and Curatolo Arini); seventh generation of family ownership today
• Maintained family ownership through 20th-century upheavals while many competitors closed or were absorbed into multinationals
• Expanded into Pantelleria with a dedicated island winery and broadened into Sicilia DOC still wines from the late 20th century

Pellegrino's 150+ hectare vineyard holdings split across three Sicilian terroirs. The Marsala estates sit on the limestone-clay terre rosse soils of the DOC zone, with Grillo as the dominant variety for fortified Marsala alongside smaller plantings of Catarratto, Inzolia, and Damaschino. The Pantelleria estate covers vineyards on the volcanic island in the historic Bukkuram, Khamma, and Mueggen contrade, with alberello-trained Zibibbo (Moscato d'Alessandria) planted in stone-walled giardini panteschi terraces. UNESCO recognized the alberello viticulture of Pantelleria as Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2014. The Sicilia DOC still-wine vineyards extend Pellegrino's reach to Nero d'Avola, Frappato, and broader Sicilian indigenous varieties on inland sites. Vines on Pantelleria are head-trained as low bushes in shallow basins (conche) to shelter from constant wind and to capture sea-air humidity, with grapes for Passito sun-dried on cannizzi reed-strip drying racks after harvest. The integrated portfolio gives Pellegrino access to Marsala's limestone plain, Pantelleria's volcanic island, and inland Sicily's diverse Sicilia DOC subzones from a single family operation.

• 150+ hectares across Marsala DOC, Pantelleria, and broader Sicilia DOC territory
• Marsala estates: limestone-clay terre rosse soils; Grillo dominant with Catarratto, Inzolia, and Damaschino in smaller plantings
• Pantelleria estate: alberello-trained Zibibbo in Bukkuram, Khamma, and Mueggen contrade; UNESCO-listed viticulture (2014)
• Sicilia DOC still-wine vineyards add Nero d'Avola, Frappato, and other indigenous varieties from inland Sicilian sites

Pellegrino's Marsala portfolio covers the full DOC matrix of color (Oro, Ambra, Rubino), sweetness (Secco, Semisecco, Dolce), and aging tier (Fine, Superiore, Superiore Riserva, Vergine, Vergine Stravecchio or Riserva). The Superiore Garibaldi Dolce honors Giuseppe Garibaldi's landing at Marsala on May 11, 1860, with a Dolce profile of honeyed dried fig and burnt-orange caramel. The Vergine Secco range is bone-dry with minimum 5 years cask aging and shows walnut, dried herbs, and saline lift. The Riserva expressions extend aging beyond the DOC minimum for library-tier complexity. Fortification follows traditional methods: mistella (mute, fresh grape must arrested with grape spirit) for sweet expressions, cotto (cooked grape must) for Ambra coloring, and sifone for sweet enrichment. Passito di Pantelleria Nes is fermented from sun-dried Zibibbo grapes (concentrated to approximately 320-380 g/L sugar) at the dedicated island winery and aged in oak. The Naturale style (an alternative to the more common Passito) uses partial drying for a fresher, less concentrated profile. Sicilia DOC still wines use stainless-steel fermentation with light oak treatment for the Nero d'Avola Riserva bottlings.

• Marsala range covers Oro/Ambra/Rubino colors, Secco/Semisecco/Dolce sweetness, and Fine/Superiore/Vergine aging tiers
• Superiore Garibaldi Dolce honors Giuseppe Garibaldi's landing at Marsala on May 11, 1860; honeyed Dolce profile
• Vergine Secco: minimum 5 years cask aging; bone-dry with walnut, dried herbs, and saline lift; Riserva extends well beyond DOC minimum
• Passito di Pantelleria Nes: sun-dried Zibibbo from alberello vines on cannizzi reed-strip racks; produced at dedicated island winery

The seventh-generation leadership has driven a modern revival focused on premium Marsala expressions (Vergine and Riserva), the revival of the Naturale style on Pantelleria, and the development of a complete Sicilian still-wine portfolio. This work positions Pellegrino as a key institutional voice in the broader quality-Marsala movement alongside Marco De Bartoli (the unfortified vino perpetuo specialist) and Florio (the consolidated industrial historical leader). Critics increasingly include Pellegrino in serious Marsala flights at major international tastings, with the Vergine Riserva and Passito Nes drawing 90+ point reviews from Antonio Galloni's Vinous, James Suckling, and Wine Advocate. The estate is a regular participant in Vinitaly (Verona, April), Sicily en Primeur (the annual Assovini Sicilia spring trade event), and the broader Italian-fine-wine international circuit. The Garibaldi Dolce remains the most commercially distributed Pellegrino bottling and a fixture in Italian and international retail, while the Vergine and Passito expressions anchor the premium tier.

• Modern revival under seventh-generation leadership: focus on premium Vergine and Riserva Marsala, Naturale style, and complete Sicilian still wines
• Positions Pellegrino alongside Marco De Bartoli and Florio in the quality-Marsala conversation
• Vergine Riserva and Passito Nes draw 90+ point reviews from Vinous, James Suckling, and Wine Advocate
• Regular participant in Vinitaly (Verona, April), Sicily en Primeur (Assovini Sicilia spring event), and international fine-wine circuit

The Pellegrino estate in Marsala welcomes visitors for guided tours and tastings, with the experience focused on the historic cellars, the family museum dedicated to Pellegrino history and 19th-century Marsala industry, and tasting flights covering the Marsala range (Fine, Superiore, Vergine, Riserva), the Passito di Pantelleria Nes, and the Sicilia DOC still wines. The Pellegrino island winery on Pantelleria is also open during the spring through autumn season, with the volcanic island's UNESCO-listed alberello viticulture and giardini panteschi terraces drawing wine and architecture enthusiasts. Marsala the town sits on Sicily's western coast and combines easily with visits to the Selinunte and Segesta archeological sites, the Erice hilltop village, and the Trapani salt pans for visitors building a full western Sicily itinerary. Pantelleria is reachable from Marsala by short flight or hydrofoil. Vinitaly in Verona (April) and Sicily en Primeur (the annual Assovini Sicilia trade event) are Pellegrino's primary international commercial showcases.

• Marsala estate: tours and tastings cover historic cellars, family museum, and full Marsala/Passito/still-wine range
• Pantelleria island winery open spring-autumn; UNESCO-listed alberello viticulture and giardini panteschi terraces
• Marsala combines easily with Selinunte and Segesta archeological sites, Erice hilltop village, and Trapani salt pans
• Vinitaly (Verona, April) and Sicily en Primeur (Assovini Sicilia spring event) primary international commercial showcases