Marco di Bartoli: Bukkuram Sole d'Agosto 2022

Bukkuram – from the Arabic meaning "Father of the Vineyard" – refers to the historic heart of the Zibibbo culture on Pantelleria. Here, on the island’s only southwest-facing plateau, there are five hectares of vineyard and winery housed in a historic dammuso from the 18th century. The vines are low and free-standing in the "Alberello Pantesco," a cultivation method protected by UNESCO.

In 1984, Marco de Bartoli bottled his Bukkuram here for the first time – a Moscato Passito that revived the island’s great tradition. Five years later, Pietranera was created, a dry Zibibbo from terraced vineyards in northern Pantelleria, characterized by freshness, aromatic intensity, and a distinctive character.

Part of the grapes for Sole di Agosto are harvested in mid-August and dried in the sun for two weeks, while the rest ripen on the vine until September. After pressing and spontaneous fermentation, the dried grapes are destemmed and added to the must, where they macerate for about three months. The wine then ages for at least six months in oak barrels before further maturation in stainless steel tanks and final bottling.