Terroir

“EXCELLENT WINE STARTS WITH GREAT GEOGRAPHY” 

Noble terroirs are unique for their soil, macro-and microclimate and location. They are the fundamental starting points that contribute to the creation of remarkable Guardi wines. Our wines grow on terroirs in the heart of Sicily, characterized by their unique geology and climate. 

Tenuta Leopardi estate

The Location

Guardi Italia Società agricola Srl
+39 331 291 0045
office@guardi.wine
https://maps.app.goo.gl/Shj7cioXp6dFcN73A

GUARDI società Agricola Srl was founded on Tenuta Leopardi estate on the Cerasuolo wine road and we immediately fell in love with this terroir in Sicily’s finest and only DOCG region.

our home and main vineyard

Tenuta Leopardi in the Cerasuolo di Vittoria DOCG region

Our very own 10 hectares are part of the 169 hectares of DOCG Cerasuolo di Vittoria territory, Sicily’s only DOCG region. Cerasuolo is a dry, red Italian wine made of endemic Nero d’Avola and Frappato grapes. Cerasuolo means “cherry red” and refers to the colour of the resulting blend of these grapes. The wine combines the fragrant, floral characters of Frappato with the full body and tannins from Nero d’Avola. Located in the southwest of the “island of the Sun”, the terroir is also an excellent home to international grape varietals Syrah, Cabernet Sauvingon and Cabernet Franc, as well as Petit Verdot. A small batch of endemic white Grillo grapes compliments our varietals. Our quest for continuous improvement led to a collaboration with the University of Catania. Tenuta Leopardi is now an official research vineyard of the university, applying state-of-the art research findings on spot.

Chardonnay vineyards

Sambuca di Sicilia & Giugliana

Sambuca di Sicilia in the Province of Agrigento, Sicily, is located 41 miles (or 68 km) southwest of Palermo. Perched on a hill, with a Belvedere terrace at its peak, the town is surrounded by hills and woods, Mount Genuardo, and the valleys of the river Carboj that form the reservoir of Lake Arancio. Bordering town Giuliana, a comune in the metropolitan region of Palermo, is perched on a hill south of Palermo facing the Sosio Valley.

This is the native homeland to our founding and former agronomist dott. Fabio Guella, who is growing excellent Chardonnay grapes out of this 25 year old vineyards together with his father.   

The rain in this region falls mostly in the winter, with relatively little rain in the summer.

These highlands with their dry, sunny days and cool nights offer excellent terroir for world-class Chardonnay grapes.

The GEOLOGY of

Tenuta Leopardi Estate

The energy of a vine comes from its soil, which is home to its roots.

While crops usually grow best under optimal water and fertilization, vine grapes actually need stress conditions to become excellent wines. Many poliphenols and anti-oxidants are synthesized under stress conditions. Comparable to the stress level that propels us humans to peak performances, the stress shouldn’t be exaggerated though. Because the plant would shut down its metabolism under over-stress. The composition of its soil can cause the
desired positive stress by providing restraints on water retention or availability of nutrients.

Tenuta Leopardi is located in the South-East of Sicily. It is close to the city of Comiso in the Hyblean Foredeep at the feet of the Hyblean Plateau. The foredeep developed in the late Pliocene when the Hyblean Plateau was volcanic and erupted large amounts of lava and caused the foreland to collapse. It was a time when leopards were still a common part of the European fauna. Today a major tectonic faultline runs between the Gela foredeep and the Hyblean foreland, making it a very active seismic region. Mt. Etna is in safe distance but can be seen on clear days from the vineyard. Minor earthquakes, however, are an everyday business to our grape vines.

This very unique geographical location and geological history lead to an incomparable amount of different soils on a very small stretch of land. The colors of our soils really do range from white over red to black.

Acreage

10 hectares (24 acres)

Soil type

Limestone, red volcanic sand, sand

Planted

7 hectares (17 acres) of predominantly red wines - both endemic and international varieties

Certification

IGT, DOC , application for organic

Soil

In just 10 hectares (24 acres) of land we are blessed with a wide variety of soils ranging from white limestone with shell fossils over red iron-rich volcanic soil to sandy soils. Our vines are used to high seismic activity.

Climate

Hot-summer Mediterranean climate. Only 482 mm of annual percipitation with dry summers. Hot, dry Sirocco winds. Comparatively large temperature variation between day and night. Oceanic influence (20 km distance)

Grapes

Cabernet Franc
Cabernet Sauvignon
Frappato
Grillo
Nero D'Avola
Petit Verdot
Syrah

Sun

Sicily is not only referred to as "the new Nappa Valley" but also "island of the sun". More than 3,400 hrs of sunshine per year underline its second name. From April to September, when the grapes are ripening, we have about 9-13 hours of sunshine daily.

Vineyard

Implanted in North-South direction for optimal sun exposure and heat protection. Low yield and planting density. Guyot training system. Passionately cared for by our agronomist and climate change expert Paolo Palumbo Piccionello.

Winery

Estate-based new cantina under construction by architect Salvatore "Toti" Pellitteri in collaboration with leading winery manufacturer PULEO. Supervised by our fantastic head oenologist Gabriele Valota.

Tenuta Leopardi

Soil

White limestone with shell fossils are reminiscent of the fact that this part of land was coverred by the
Mediterranean Sea until the last Ice Age. The white color reflects the sun light, thus leading to less water evaporation. In consequence the wines display minerality, freshness and acidity. Because of the acidity, the resulting wines show a unique elegance and longevity, with a great ability to age. Some of the most precious wines in the world are grown on lime.

The sandy parts of our land are an 11 million year old heritage of marine sediments. Sandy soils lead the rootstocks to root more deeply and breath more oxigen, but it also causes considerable stress about water retention for the plant. The wines show considerable body and intense aroma due to the poliphenolic substances that are created more intensely under these circumstances in the plant.

Red sandy soils are typical for iron oxidation in volcanic sediments. Iron is indispensable for the photosynthesis of the plant.

Our varieties don’t follow a soil-based planting regime. In contrary, the same variety is planted on various soil types. This leads to very different expressions of the same grape variety. Blended well in the cellar, this makes for uncomparable balanced and elegant wines.

regenerative agriculture

Sustainability

To restore or improve soil fertility by means of a targeted and consistent combination of factors such as site climate, humus structure, biodiversity and water retention. The aim is a pesticide-free, efficient and resilient cultivation system with closed material cycles.

  • Large variety of greent plants and cover crops for enhanced biodiversity 
  • No use of chemical-synthetic plant protection products
  • No use of chemical-synthetic weed killers
  • No use of chemical-synthetic fertilizers
  • Preventive natural plant protection and plant strengthening agents only
  • Only organic and mineral fertilizers
    (straw, manure, rock meal)
  • Genetic-free throughout the winery

We make exceptional wines

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