Background
Planeta’s journey began at Sambuca di Sicilia, on the estate owned by the family since the 1600’s. Here, three enthusiastic young Sicilians, Alessio, Francesca and Santi Planeta, under the guidance of Diego Planeta, began their winemaking venture in the mid-1980s. Subsequent years were spent matching the extraordinarily diverse Sicilian soils with both indigenous and international varieties. Planeta today encompasses six distinct wine estates in five regions across Sicily; Ulmo at Sambuca di Sicilia, Dispensa at Menfi, Dorilli at Vittoria, Buonivini at Noto, Sciara Nuova on Etna at Castiglione di Sicilia, and the newest addition, La Baronia at Capo Milazzo. Each vineyard site is carefully cultivated with grapes that best compliment the local terroir. The label for this single-variety La Segreta reflects a decorative detail of the Ulmo map – the oldest Planeta property – representing a ‘hortus conclusus’, a luxuriant area of fruit, flowers and vines within the walls, a synthesis of the beautiful agricultural countryside of Sicily.
TERROIR & VINTAGE NOTES
Planeta’s story and journey began at Ulmo. In the mid-1980’s the first vines were planted around the 16th century family farmhouse. The first winery was built in 1995 on the banks of the Lake Arancio and its nearby woods. Hidden within the Menfi hills and with 395 acres of vineyard, the Dispensa estate is the beating heart of all the winery’s activities. From the sea to the hills, up to an altitude of 1,312 feet, the Menfi territory holds the largest extent of Planeta’s vineyards. More than 618 acres are cultivated, and careful selections of vines are made – both indigenous and international varieties – to the specifics of each terroir. Soils from Dispensa vineyards are moderately deep, with very few stones, some degree of lime and average fertility.
Winemaking & Aging
Harvest occured on September 5th. De-leafing and pressing is followed by 12 days on the skins at a temperature of 77°F with repeated daily mixing. After racking, the wine undergoes malolactic fermentation and rests until the end of February.
