Tenuta Enza La Fauci
Nestled in Sicily’s Peloritani hills, this estate specialises in vibrant, colourful Sicilian reds and whites. Showcases mountain-driven minerality and Mediterranean warmth—perfect for lovers of Sicilian terroir-wines .
Tenuta Enza La Fauci lies on the foothills of the Peloritani mountain range in the district of Messina, Sicily. The 3 – hectare vineyard at an altitude of 330m is facing the Tyrrhenian Sea on one side and the Strait of Messina on the other. This land is beaten by both the Scirocco and Mistral winds, enjoying a mild climate and abundant rainfall in winter. This particular cool and breezy climate favoured the development of viticulture since the Mycenaen age (14th century B.C.).
It was Enza La Fauci’s personal interest that led her to viticulture. After 20 years of experience in the family’s company “The Giovi Distillery”, and her love for vines, she decided to branch out on her own and do what she always dreamt about. Every encounter or conversation with friends and important wine producers from the Island were all opportunities for Enza to learn more about what eventually would become her greatest passion: the vineyard.
In 2004, armed with this passion, Enza planted a small vineyard in her family’s land, within the Faro DOC area, where she meticulously cares for her vines to produce high quality wines. Il Faro, meaning “the lighthouse” was the first Siciliian D.O.C. to be recognized back in 1976 with the appellation Faro D.O.C. (Denominazione d’Origne Controllata).
Viticulture
The well-structured terrain is mostly of clay texture soil with layers of calcareous tuff, capable of retaining a good amount of freshness in deep layers. The planting system of the vineyard is double cordon and Guyot, with an average density of 5,000 plants per hectare. It’s set on terraces and well exposed to the sun and the wind. The grape varieties planted are Nerello Mascalese, Nerello Cappuccio, Nocera, Zibibbo and Nero D’Avola.
The steady, gentle winds that flow through the vineyard rows help minimize the need for treatments, while careful green pruning encourages the growth of healthy, abundant grape clusters—always harvested by hand. Enza’s winemaking philosophy is refreshingly simple: “Grow indigenous grapes, rely on hard manual work, avoid additives and chemical pesticides, and above all… pour in a lot of passion.”