October 2013

Five generations, one exceptional location with a name that sounds invented, it’s so perfect: the Musìta hill, so called from the ancient Arabic name for this site. For all its exotic origin,

Musìta makes you think of the Greek goddesses of inspiration, the Muses.

They would have been very much at home in this western nook of Sicily, where vines cover the surrounding hillsides

and the sun sets behind the Aegadian Islands few miles off the coast.

SICILIAN INSPIRATION:

Salemi, winery location

Salemi hillside and plain

Sunset behind the Aegadian Islands

The winery

Set against the Musìta hillside, in the district of Salemi, heart of the Belice Valley, is a winery founded by don Ignazio Ardagna five generations ago. Those were the late 1800s and don Ignazio planted his first, tiny vineyard on the Musìta slopes – native, bush-trained Catarratto whose golden fruit would lead to further goals and to a dream come true.

Ignazio’s son Domenico, then his grandson Giuseppe, in turn, cultivated this gorgeous land. Giuseppe Ardagna dreamed that his children and grandchildren would one day tell the story of Musìta as Ignazio had meant it to be told; express the hill’s tremendous quality potential to its full extent.

Today, Ignazio and Giuseppe’s aspirations are realized: the family has not only purchased the hillside winery that at one time belonged to the cooperative; they have also renovated and extended it, while expanding total Ardagna acreage under vine to nearly 125 acres (50 hectares).

These vineyards are partly on the Musìta hill itself and partly on other hilly locations around Salemi, at varying altitudes as high as 500 meters (1,640 feet) above sea level. Besides the variety first planted by don Ignazio (Catarratto), vines comprise Grillo, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Nero d’Avola and Merlot.

The estate is entirely family-run and every stage of the process is supervised by expert agronomists and enologists.

The Musìta mission is to set off the unique qualities of Musìta land.

Variety: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon

Location of the Vineyard: Baronia (pictured above)

Soil Type: Clayey

Altitude: 300 meters (approx. 985 feet) above sea level

Training System: Espalier, Guyot-pruned

Crop Yield: Approx. 8 tons per hectare i.e. 3.2 per acre

Harvest: Exclusively by hand, in small crates holding 15 kilos i.e. 33 pounds each so the grapes remain intact and fresh

Vinification & Ageing: The grapes, all estate-owned and grown, are de-stalked and soft-pressed, then fermented at a controlled temperature of 22-23° C (71.6-73.4° F), with subsequent malolactic. A portion of the wine is aged in French oak barrels for 8 months previous to bottling.

Tasting Notes: Brilliant crimson in color, the bouquet is fragrant and intense, showing abundant red fruit and berry aromas with lively notes of black pepper confirmed on the full, elegant and appealing palate.

Alcohol by Vol.: 14%

Cabernet vines at Baronia

CABERNET SAUVIGNONSiciliaIGP

Cabernet Sauvignon Vineyard Sites

• Additional Wines produced at Musita

Additional wines produced

Variety: 100% Nero d’Avola

Location of the Vineyards: Baglio Guarini & Fontana Bianca (the latter is pictured above)

Soil Type: Clayey

Altitude: 300 to 400 meters (approx. 985-1,315 feet) above sea level

Training System: Espalier, Guyot-pruned

Crop Yield: Approx. 6 tons per hectare i.e. 2.4 tons per acre

Harvest: Exclusively by hand, in small crates holding 15 kilos i.e. 33 pounds each so the grapes remain intact and fresh

Vinification & Ageing: Cold maceration on the skins for 3 days allows ideal tannin and color extraction, with soft, elegant tannins and beautiful roundness; after temperature-controlled fermentation, part of the wine is aged in French oak barrels for 6 months before bottling.

Tasting Notes: Brilliant red, the bouquet shows lovely cherry and plum aromas confirmed on the well balanced palate characterized by red berry flavors and well integrated oak.

Alcohol by Vol.: 14%

NERO D’AVOLASiciliaIGP

The vineyard at Fontana Bianca

Variety: 100% Syrah

Location of the Vineyard: Baronia (pictured above)

Soil Type: Clayey

Altitude: 300 meters (approx. 985 feet) above sea level

Training System: Espalier, Guyot-pruned

Crop Yield: Approx. 7.5 tons per hectare i.e. 3 tons per acre

Harvest: Exclusively by hand, in small crates holding 15 kilos i.e. 33 pounds each so the grapes remain intact and fresh

Vinification & Ageing: Cold maceration on the skins for allows ideal tannin and color extraction, with soft, elegant tannins and beautiful roundness; after malolactic fermentation, part of the wine is aged in French oak barrels for 8 months before bottling.

Tasting Notes: Brilliant red in color, the nose is rich, spicy and intense, the palate full, layered, with soft tannins and great structure; predominant notes on the palate are red berry fruit and spice.

Alcohol by Vol.: 14.5%

SYRAHSiciliaIGP

The vineyard at Baronia

Variety: 100% Catarratto

Location of the Vineyard: Baronia (pictured above)

Soil Type: Calcareous-Clayey

Altitude: 400 to 500 meters (approx. 1,310-1,640 feet) above sea level

Training System: Espalier, Guyot-pruned

Crop Yield: Approx. 7 tons per hectare i.e. 2.8 tons per acre

Harvest: Exclusively by hand, in small crates holding 15 kilos i.e. 33 pounds each so the grapes remain intact and fresh

Vinification & Ageing: Grapes are soft-pressed and left to rest at low temperature for 24 hours previous to fermentation with select yeasts at 15° C (59° F). The resulting wine is fine-tuned on its lees in stainless steel vats for 5 months previous to bottling. There is no malolactic.

Tasting Notes: The straw yellow to greenish color introduces consistent, delicate aromas of spices and citrus fruit. Focused, firm palate shows lots of character and a lingering finish.

Alcohol by Vol.: 12.5%

CATARRATTOSiciliaIGP

Catarratto vineyard

Variety: 100% Grillo

Location of the Vineyard: Mokarta (pictured above)

Soil Type: Calcareous-Clayey

Altitude: 350 to 400 meters (approx. 1,150-1,315feet) above sea level

Training System: Espalier, Guyot-pruned

Crop Yield: Approx. 6.5 tons per hectare i.e. 2.6 tons per acre

Harvest: Exclusively by hand, in small crates holding 15 kilos i.e. 33 pounds each so the grapes remain intact and fresh

Vinification & Ageing: Grapes are soft-pressed and left to rest at low temperature for 24 hours previous to fermentation with select yeasts at 15° C (59° F). The resulting wine is fine-tuned on its lees in stainless steel vats for 4 months previous to bottling. There is no malolactic.

Tasting Notes: Straw yellow in color, delicately aromatic; medium-bodied with good complexity and freshness.

Alcohol by Vol.: 13.5%

GRILLOSiciliaIGP

Grillo vineyard at Mokarta