In the hills around Grotte, near Agrigento and the ancient Valley of the Temples, the Gueli family has spent decades coaxing distinct expressions of Nero d'Avola from two very different soils.
Backstory
Azienda Agricola Gueli was founded in 1986 by Vincenzo Gueli on a 10-hectare farm split between vineyards and almond orchards. Today his three sons, Giuseppe, Calogero, and Davide, carry the work forward, with Giuseppe deeply versed in the wines and the local terroir.
The Region
Gueli lies in the countryside of Grotte and Comitini, near Agrigento in southern Sicily, at between roughly 450 and 550 meters of elevation, not far from the Valley of the Temples.
Vineyards and Farming
Gueli farms Nero d'Avola organically, planting it across parcels with different soils to capture distinct characters. The chalky, pale Trubi soil (known locally as Erbatini) gives structured, full-bodied wine, while the limestone Calcari soil of the Scintilia area lends freshness and drinkability.
The Wines
The two soils translate directly into the Gueli bottles: Erbatino from the chalky ground and Calcareus from the limestone, two readings of the same grape grown side by side.
