Ferrandes

Pantelleria, a small volcanic island with more proximity to Tunisia than Sicily, let alone mainland Italy, is extremely windy and the annual levels of rainfall are some of the lowest in Europe. The island’s noble variety is Muscat of Alexandria, which is planted in individual dugouts where the vines are basket-trained for protection from the elements as they are in Santorini. The grape was probably brought to Pantelleria by the Arabs around 800 CE, thought previous vineyards planted by the Greeks certainly existed, and passito was produced. In fact, the grape is known locally as Zebibbo, zebib being Arabic for raisin.

The Ferrandes Family, of Spanish descent, moved to Pantelleria in the 15th century. The tradition of producing Passito di Pantelleria, possibly Italy’s most ancient dessert wine and the island’s claim to fame, was passed on from father to son and is continued today by Salvatore Ferrandes. The estate’s entire production (of raisins as well as capers and wine) is strictly organic. The muscat grapes, carefully open-air dried for two weeks against lava stone walls, are crushed and then fermented in tiny vats inside the 17th century cellars. known locally as a dammuso. The wine decants for one year minimum, and often much longer.