The two souls of the Company: Tenuta di Pianetto and Tenuta Baroni
Written by Baglio di Pianetto
We are a stone’s throw from Palermo, in the Pianetto district of Santa Cristina Gela. A place of great charm thanks to its hills, greenery and outcropping rocks. Here, in the heart of the Monreale DOC area, at 650 metres above sea level, there are 88 hectares of vines with both native varieties such as Insolia, Catarratto and Grillo and international varieties such as Viognier, Merlot, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Sauvignon. The pedoclimatic conditions are excellent: the soil is mainly clayey and rich in minerals, while the high hill position, among woods and small clearings, allows for constant ventilation and a high temperature range between day and night, all characteristics that create the conditions for obtaining complex, structured and long-lived wines. In 1998, the desire to complete the company’s assortment with wines from south-eastern Sicily led the Count to acquire land between Noto and Pachino. This is how Tenuta Baroni was born: located near the sea, it’s the home of Nero d’Avola and Frappato, but also of Syrah, which has found an ideal habitat here to strongly express its peculiarities. The 70 hectares that make up this estate are characterised by lean soils, rich in sand and limestone, capable of giving finesse and subtlety to the wines.
Today Baglio di Pianetto exports to many countries such as the United States, Japan, Germany, Belgium, Switzerland, Russia, the Czech Republic and Canada, as well as having an established clientele in Italy, especially in the Horeca channel. It produces 21 wines and has a complete offer that gives a very articulated picture of the great wine heritage of Sicily. From monovarietal to natural, from classic to reserve, including sparkling and a sweet wine, the company takes meticulous care of every single step from the vineyard to the cellar.
Sustainability: a core value since the foundation
Today, sustainability issues are particularly topical and pursued by a little bit of all companies, but for Baglio di Pianetto they have been at the heart of its project since the beginning of its activity, in a very early time. All the grapes and wines are certified organic: this is combined with the decision to produce a line of unfiltered natural wines, without added sulphites and obtained from indigenous yeasts.
At the Santa Cristina di Gela site, energy production is derived from renewable sources thanks to the installation of a third-generation photovoltaic system (256.6 kWp), which allows the reduction of CO2 emissions (184,488 kg per year).
Finally, the cellar: it was built vertically, exploiting the force of gravity by gravity. This is an architectural structure that drastically reduces the use of pumps to move must and wine. In addition, the thermoregulation of the temperatures in the processing rooms, thanks to the natural insulation of the rock that envelops the various underground levels, allows great energy savings. The wines rest several metres underground, where there is both the barrique cellar and the space where bottle ageing is completed
