HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL FROM FERRACANE WINERY!!

Winemaker Fabio Ferracane takes stock of the year that is about to end and invites us to face the year to come together with serenity and courage: – “Every time a bottle of Vini Ferracane is opened, it is wonderful to know that at that moment there are people who are sharing what we do.”

2015 is coming to an end and, as for all companies, it is time to take stock also for Casa Vinicola Ferracane. “For a small company whose goal is to produce quality wines always seeking excellence in its products – says the Oenologist Fabio Ferracane, technical director of the company who likes to define himself first and foremost as a winemaker – it is essential not only to have the accounts in order, and therefore a positive accounting year, but also and above all to have had an excellent year in every sense! Taking an in-depth look at the year just gone by is essential to be able to project yourself body and soul into the imminent year to come!”

The year 2015 was characterized by a total production of 10,057 bottles, 2,021 more bottles than bottled in the previous year. “Our wines are vintage wines,” Fabio Ferracane points out, “and this is very important to us. The wine bottled in 2015 has almost all been sold, with the obvious exception of the “Magico” Merlot 2014, bottled a month ago and which will be available for sale in a few weeks. Our company choice to use a very low sulphite content during winemaking requires us to sell the entire annual production if possible in order to be able to enjoy our wines possibly within a year, two at most, from their bottling.” The final message to the customer is very clear: Ferracane wines should be drunk before the very low quantity of sulphites added in the form of free sulphites runs out and therefore before they end up losing their role as “protectors” of the aroma and taste of the product.

Limiting the use of sulphites as much as possible to obtain a wine that is as natural as possible is a concept that Fabio also explains when talking about Elisir, Vendemmia Tardiva di Catarratto, a product that is completely without added sulphites. And he does so by combining the technical skills of the oenologist with the practical ones of the winemaker who, considering wine joy and poetry, loves to spend a good part of his time where wine is actually made: – “Good wine is made first of all in the vineyard – says Fabio Ferracane – and Elisir is proof of this. http://www.casavinicolaferracane.it/it/prodotti/vini/elisir-vendemmia-tardiva-cataratto.html After all, during winemaking there are many chemical transformations that are created naturally. I myself – concludes Fabio – as an oenologist love to say that wine is chemistry, in particular it is the chemistry of taste but chemistry is not needed to make good wine. This is why I love to drink and produce only wines with very low sulphites or where possible without added sulphites, that is, those wines that do not give you a headache! On the other hand, I myself am the first consumer of the wines I sell… I try to love myself and producing quality wines is also a bit of a way of loving not only oneself I also care about those who buy them from you, about those who repay you for the sacrifices you make in the vineyard!”

And it is once again on the late harvest “Elisir” that Fabio Ferracane is keen to focus on: “The late harvest of Catarratto has once again given me unique emotions. Every year it is always a challenge! It began on September 6th when I practiced the ringing of the shoot on the Guyot vineyards. On October 25th I began the late harvest which ended on the same day as always by selecting the top quality Catarrato grapes in boxes of no more than 15kg. That day was very exciting because I realised that this year too, after so many sacrifices in the vineyard, the challenge was won!”

For the Elisir 2015 Fabio Ferracane once again gave it his all, without adding anything beyond his passion and professionalism. Without adding sulphites, selected yeasts and additives in general, now it will be time to complete his "work".

The year 2016, which is just around the corner, promises to be even better in terms of production of bottles destined for sale than last year. "The best year since we started producing grapes - Fabio Ferracane points out - ended with one of the best harvests for our company and this will benefit the production of the new year. The credit must also be attributed to very particular weather conditions. The snow in Marsala in the very first days of the year - Fabio recalls - determined the disappearance of all those bacteria and fungi harmful to the vine in the vineyards, the very rainy winter was useful for the vegetative recovery of the plants, March and April were months without rain, a suitable climatic condition to avoid Peronospera and Oidium, the summer was hot and sunny with strong temperature variations between day and night while the rains of the second ten days of August were useful for the growth and turgidity of the grapes that did not suffer from dehydration phenomena considering that we do not irrigate the vineyards and we let the rains do it if necessary. The result of these climatic oscillations was translated between the end of August and the beginning of September in a exceptional harvest with excellent quality grapes that had a good pH and excellent sugar content!”

Now for the Fatina di Bacco company it is time to prepare for the coming year with the same passion, dedication, commitment and enthusiasm that have always been the guiding principle of the activity carried out by Fabio Ferracane and his collaborators. But it is also a time for thanks and good wishes: – “First of all, we would like to thank our customers with whom we spend every passing year sipping a glass of good wine. – says Fabio Ferracane – Thank you for the trust you place in our work and our sacrifices. Every time a bottle of Vini Ferracane is opened, it is wonderful to know that at that moment there are people who are sharing what we do. This gives us the courage and enthusiasm to face the coming year with optimism. Thanks to the sales agents without whom we could not promote our passion. Thanks to friends and relatives who are always close to us and encourage us to move forward. Finally, I would like to extend to everyone a sincere wish so that serenity and courage accompany the new year every day – concludes Fabio Ferracane – we need serenity to live in harmony with the people we love, courage to face those challenges that at first seem impossible. Happy 2016 to everyone and let us always remember that… we do not drink to forget the year that is ending… but to remember to have drunk well and to…continue to drink well in the year to come!

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL FROM FERRACANE WINERY!!”