Dive into High-Altitude Sicilian Wines with Feudo Montoni

The estate at Feudo Montoni has existed since 1469, when the baglio, a structure originally built as dwellings for dozens of families but now used for cellars and winemaking, was constructed around the central courtyard. Rosario Sireci purchased the Feudo Montoni estate in the late 19th century. and discovered a wealth of ancient vines. He cared for the estate until passing it on to his son, Elio. Feudo Montoni is currently led by Elio's son, Fabio, the third generation of the Sireci family.

Fabio, after graduating from engineering school, chose to return to Montoni instead of pursuing a career in the auto industry on the mainland. He learned winemaking by working with his father and reading enology books. Contrary to the common perception of Southern Italian wines as deep in color, structure, and with jammy fruit character, Feudo Montoni wines are recognized for their elegance and freshness from higher altitudes.

New York-born fellow Sicilian Melissa Muller opened and ran three successful Sicilian restaurants and even wrote the acclaimed cookbook, Sicily: Recipes Rooted in Tradition. Her life changed when a bottle of Fabio's wine was brought to one of her restaurants. When she next went to Sicily, she met Fabio, forming a fast friendship that grew quickly into something more. It wasn’t long before she left her life in New York and joined him in Sicily as co-head of Feudo Montoni. Together, they work as partners, with Fabio leading winemaking and agriculture and Melissa handling sales, marketing, and hospitality. They’re already gearing up the next generation to carry on the legacy with their two children helping with farm activities.

Feudo Montoni is located in Cammarata, 35 miles southeast of Palermo. The 160-hectare estate sits 500 to 800m above sea level, with 44 hectares under vine between two mountain ranges. The soils are a mix of sand and clay, and the estate is certified organic. They are famous for their Nero d'Avola but also focus on growing indigenous varietals, including Perricone, Nerello Mascalese, Cattarratto, Grillo, and Inzolia. When Elio replanted vineyards, he used massal selection, where dead or underperforming vines are replaced with new vines grown from cuttings of the best older vines, instead of sourcing from a nursery, maintaining the health and quality of the vineyard. Their viticultural compass is to “preserve nature’s copyright and let the land express itself” by fermenting and aging primarily in concrete vessels and using indigenous yeasts. Fabio also adds sun-dried stems from the bunches back into the must for sweeter tannins, complexity, and ageability.  

Stop by our stores or shop online to try one of Feudo Montoni's wines and taste for yourself why incredible high-altitude Sicilian wines will soon be a new favorite.