Tanca Nica TERRA FORTE 2022

Founded by Nicoletta Pecorelli, originally from Sardinia, and Pantelleria native Francesco Ferreri. Tanca in Pantesco dialect is a small hilly land arranged in terraces in which the vines grow, while Nica is the name of the place where the thermal waters emerge from the seabed and mix with the Mediterranean blue.  It’s varied volcanic soils made up of pumice (soki soki) and fragments of volcanic eruptions (lapilli) create a mineral rich terroir from which wines of great personality are made.

They Biodynamically farm 2 hectares of parcel specific expressions of Zibibbo, also known Moscato d’Alessandria, Pignatello, which in Pantelleria is called Nivuro Nostrale, or “black of the place”, and finally  Catarratto.  The tiny production is just 4000 bottles a year.

They employ several techniques based on ancient methods to solve two of the main challenges of viticulture on the island, namely strong winds and water scarcity. With the inventive solution of Alberello Pantesco, they plant low density bush vines in a dug out hollow called a “conca” (See image attached). This provides protection from the wind while collecting scarce water in the winter. Other vines are planted with a classic system of small Pantelleria saplings in-between alternating rows of green beans and wheat to protect the vines from strong winds. They also plant a small number of vines against terraced walls which provide sun exposure and again protect from intense winds.