Porta Del Vento
Porta Del Vento (meaning door of the wind) is based at the top of a mountain in Camporeale region of Sicily, close to Palermo. Whilst owner Marco Sferlazzo produces serious wines like ARCAI Anfora Rosso, Trebbi (made from Trebbiano) and more including the rarer red grape Perricone - their fun and playful VORIA pet nats impress and delight for their wonderful price point.
Watch a documentary on Porta Del Vento here!
Porta Del Vento - the perfect microclimate for Sicilian natural wine
Winemaker Marco Sferlazzo followed his passion for winemaking in 2006, after 20+ years of being a pharmacist! Tasting his wines, though, you'd never know he didn't come from a generations-long winemaking family. Porta del Vento means 'door of the wind' - the vineyards and winery (located in Camporeale, just southwest of Palermo) are situated 600 metres above sea level, and the wind is strong and constant. But the wind is what makes this microclimate so special and perfect for Marco's wines - it keeps the vineyard cool and dry, which keeps the PH and acidity levels where they need to be for great sparkling wine, and the difficult-to-grow indigenous grape Perricone.
Showcasing native Sicilian grapes
The Porta Del Vento range starts with the fun and colorful Voria pet nats - white, rose, and red. Our favourite has to be the white made of Sicilian Catarrato - it's fresh, citrussy, mineral and with a lovely salty touch. This is the perfect summer afternoon sparkler for picnics, barbecues, or whatever else.
In addition to easygoing pet nats, Marco also makes more serious and elegant wines from Sicilian grapes. One that is particularly special is Perricone - an indigenous Sicilian grape traditionally used to give colour to Marsala wine and rarely used to make varietal wine from. However, winemakers like Marco are now showcasing what Perricone can taste like, and creating beautiful wines which can be drunk now or aged for something with even more depth (Porta Del Vento has both an entry-level and a 2011 Perricone). BUT that’s not it - Marco also makes a sparkling wine from Perricone called ‘Lyr’ - a traditional method Blanc de Noirs which is incredibly elegant and refined!
For whites which really express the Sicilian terroir, try the Trebbi (Trebbiano) and Grillo.
In addition to easygoing pet nats, Marco also makes more serious and elegant wines from Sicilian grapes. One that is particularly special is Perricone - an indigenous Sicilian grape traditionally used to give colour to Marsala wine and rarely used to make varietal wine from. However, winemakers like Marco are now showcasing what Perricone can taste like, and creating beautiful wines which can be drunk now or aged for something with even more depth (Porta Del Vento has both an entry-level and a 2011 Perricone). BUT that’s not it - Marco also makes a sparkling wine from Perricone called ‘Lyr’ - a traditional method Blanc de Noirs which is incredibly elegant and refined!
For whites which really express the Sicilian terroir, try the Trebbi (Trebbiano) and Grillo.