Sicily with friends and a private chef. Hard to beat!

High on the rugged slopes of Mount Etna, we discovered Gandhy of Pietrardita, a winemaker producing just 2,200 bottles a year. His vineyard, nestled in rich volcanic soil, is a testament to passion and tradition. Our visit, marked by stunning views and a bumpy ride in a well-worn Fiat Panda, revealed the unique story behind one of Sicily’s most hidden gems.

Many people across Sicily will claim to be the “Il Primo” (the first), “Il più vecchio” (the oldest), or “L’originale” (the original—you can understand that one). While many of them have histories and roots connected to the wine they make, few can make the claim that Ciro Biondi and the entire Biondi family can—15 generations of winemaking.

Stanza Terrena’s delicate and complex wines are what you get when a philosopher takes over a 200+ year old winery.

Our first stop in the Trapani/Marsala extended region is at a biodynamic farm - Adamo Bio - with some serious history in the region.

Salvatore is making Grillo, Cataratto, and Trebbiano across the vineyards in front of us in this nestled valley, and Nero D’Avola in a valley a few hills over. You could walk the perimeter of his entire vineyard in about 30 minutes. It spans a small river that isn’t labeled on any maps we could find.

Our first winery of the trip was Filarri Della Rocca outside of Palermo. This organic, family-owned and operated Sicilian farm has had three generations producing incredible wine!