The Nero d’Avola vinified on its own gives this wine an exciting red colour, an aroma of ripe fruit and a typical, deep, balanced flavour. Campo Reale comes from vineyards at the heart of the Tenuta Rapitalà, on gentle hills at 300-400 metres altitude which, because of their history, terrain and climate, endow wines with a special character.

The grapes

100% Nero d’Avola.

The vineyard

Selected parcels of vines in the Tenuta Rapitalà at 300-400 metres above sea level trained by the Guyot system on clay soil with limited yields of grapes per hectare.

The vinification

The grapes reach full ripeness during the last ten days of September. They are vinified by the red wine method with long macerations to extract the required phenolic substances and tannins. This produces a structured, soft and balanced wine.

The maturation

The maturation takes place in steel and, for a small part in barriques, to enhance the characteristics of balance and complexity which this grape expresses.

The wine

Deep ruby colour, and full bouquet which heralds a firm and powerful structure, a distinct but not intrusive amount of tannin and a delicate acidity.

Analytical details

13,5% alcohol; 6,04 g/l total acidity; 3.58 pH; 4.20 g/l residual sugar; 33 g/l dry extract.

Food matches

Poultry of all kinds (guinea fowl, duck, turkey), white meat roasts and mature cheeses.

This wine is a synthesis of the Tenuta’s philosophy expressing with its strong personality the uniqueness of the area. The selection of the grapes from the most celebrated vine parcels, the vinification techniques which enhance its typicity and the prestigious bottle with the relief of the ancient noble coat-of –arms of the family of Hugues Bernard Comte de la Gatinais make “Grand Cru” the symbolic wine of Rapitalà.

The grapes

Chardonnay.

The vineyard

Selected parcels of vines in the Tenuta Rapitalà, situated on the middle slopes, at about 450 metres above sea level are trained by the Guyot system on clayey-sandy soil with yields lower than 90 quintals per hectare.

The vinification

The grapes picked when fully ripe when their richness is at its maximum, are vinified by the white wine method with a gentle pressing and cold settling of the young must.

The maturation

After the classic racking operation, the free-run (partly obtained by brief cold maceration) begins its alcoholic fermentation in stainless steel containers. When two thirds of the fermentation has been completed, the must-wine is transferred into French oak barriques where is remains for ten months in contact with its own yeasts. The refinement in bottle lasts for at least three months.

The wine

Pale gold colour. The typical full, fruity, soft character of the chardonnay and the aromatic notes of the wood are evident on the nose. A round wine, with well defined Mediterranean scents, full-bodied and satisfying with a long and lingering finish.

Analytical details

14,5% alcohol; 5.60 g/l total acidity; 3.70 pH; 4.0 g/l residual sugar; 25 g/l dry extract.

Food matches

Hot and cold white meats, shellfish, smoked fish, foie gras, herb flavoured and mature cheeses.

The vineyards where we select the grapes for the production of Nuhar (flower in Arabic) are cultivated at the heart of the mountain which overlooks the Tenuta and from which rises the river “Rabidh-Allah”. Good, clayey terrain, sheltered from the wind, and in full sunlight. Two great black grapes: the nero d’Avola, which, in these conditions, becomes rich in tannin and body, and the pinot nero, king of Burgundy, which responds to the heat of Sicily with colour, softness and depth unlikely anywhere else.

The grapes

Pinot Nero (60%) – Nero d’Avola (40%)

The vineyard

Selected parcels of vines in the Tenuta Rapitalà at 550 metres above sea level are trained by the Guyot system on clay soil with yields of grapes limited to about 80 quintals per hectare.

The vinification

The grapes, picked at just the right state of ripeness, end of August for the pinot nero and end of September for the nero d’Avola, are vinified in small stainless steel containers. The long macerations at controlled temperatures, between 24 and 28°C, enable this wine to be enriched with the best polyphenolic components present in the grapes.

The maturation

The nero d’Avola stays in stainless steel, while the pinot nero mature for about 9 months in small French oak casks. There follow the blending, the bottling and the refinement in bottle.

The wine

Bright ruby-red colour and a bouquet with strong scents of fruits, dried and in syrup. The taste is warm and full with a balanced acidity and elegantly tannic. It finishes with a long and lingering aftertaste where we discover once again the classic aromas of the pinot nero, ripened by the hot Sicilian sun.

Analytical details

13,5% alcohol; 5.67 g/l total acidity; pH 3.60; 4.0 g/l residual sugar; 30 g/l dry extract.

Food matches

Game, roast meats, truffle dishes.

Grillo, Catarratto and Chardonnay grapes give this wine fresh Mediterranean scents and a savoury, elegant flavour with a typical hint of bitter almonds. Piano Maltese is at the heart of the Tenuta Rapitalà, gentle hills at 300-400 metres altitude, which, because of their history, terrain and climate, endow wines with a special character.

The grapes

Grillo – Catarratto – Chardonnay

The vineyard

Selected parcels of vines in the Tenuta Rapitalà at 300-400 metres above sea level are trained by the Guyot system on clay soil with limited yields of grapes per hectare.

The vinification

The grapes are picked and vinified separately as they ripen at different times: the chardonnay grapes at the beginning of August, the grillo reaches full maturity in the middle of August. The best catarratto, which comes from the vineyards cultivated on the slopes of the high hills which tower over the cellars, are picked towards the end of September. The same vinification method is used for both grapes: crushing of the grapes and separation of the stalks, cooling of the must and gentle pressing and division of the different qualities of must. The young must is cold settled before beginning a slow and steady fermentation. It is in this way that these two grape varieties express their best potential and today represent the history and revival of Sicilian viticulture.

The maturation

The wines await the time of bottling (which takes place during the month of February) on their lees in order to increase and preserve their freshness.

The wine

Yellow colour, with bright tints, which precedes a warm, full, fruity bouquet and a stylish, elegant flavour. It is a wine with fresh Mediterranean scents, a savoury and elegant taste and a typical touch of bitter almonds.

Analytical details

13% alcohol; 5.55 g/l total acidity; 3.41 pH; 3.90 g/l residual sugar; 20 g/l dry extract.

Food matches

A wine for fine fish (sea bass, bream, shellfish) which goes equally well with cold white meats.

Coral pink colour, bouquet of flowers and fruit, fresh, soft, deep flavour. This wine comes from a selection of grapes of two traditional Sicilian grape varieties. The grapes, picked when they still have a good acidity, are vinified by the rosé method, with a gentle pressing and a short contact of the must with the skins.

The grapes

Nero d’Avola – Perricone.

The vineyard

Selected parcels of vines at between 300 and 400 metres above sea level, trained by the Guyot system on clay soil with limited yields of grapes per hectare.

The vinification

The grapes are harvested in the first decade of September with good acidity levels. The must is left in contact with the skins for a few hours during soft pressing. Static cold racking of the free-run, the addition of selected yeasts, and slow fermentation at a controlled temperature give the product its typical fruity character.

The maturation

The wines await the time of bottling (which takes place during the month of February) on their lees in order to increase and preserve their freshness.

The wine

Bright pink colour, with a fruity, floral bouquet and a dry, full elegant, clean flavour with a delicate aftertaste of fruit which lingers in the mouth.

Analytical details

12,5% alcohol; 5.64 g/l total acidity; 3.37 pH; 4,20 g/l residual sugar; 21,5 g/l dry extract.

Food matches

Italian hors d’oeuvres (cured pork meats), savoury first courses (even sauces with tomato), fish, white meats, young cheeses.