Today, 26^th of November, “Zibibbo di Pantelleria” was included in the World Heritage List.

UNESCO unanimously voted to include the grape cultivation technique used on the Sicilian island of Pantelleria on its prestigious World Heritage list. For the first time an agricultural procedure was included  in the List. Pantelleria growers use the “alberello” technique to grow their Zibibbo or Alexandrian Muscat grapes, which are used to make the volcanic island’s prized Passito wines.

Pantelleria is today a magnificent and unique land with a unique culture and language. This wild soil of volcanic origin is today a luxurious garden in which some special cultivations stand out: that of capers, nowhere else in the world as good as here; and that of Zibibbo, the grapes from which the most famous wine on the island and one of the most beloved Italian dessert wines is made, namely Passito di Pantelleria.

Nowhere as in Pantelleria it’s right to speak of heroic viticulture. The vineyard in Pantelleria has to count on the strength of men; there are no machines that can substitute a farmer. On the terraces, often with sharp slopes, vines are grown below the level of the earth, in a large hole that protects the plant and the fruits from the scirocco and greco levante winds. This custom also contributes to create a balanced development of the external part of the plant, compared to the roots. The small vine trees in Pantelleria require a work load that is three times as much as the one required for any other vine on the mainland.

Watch this video to find out more about “Zibibbo pantesco”!