{"title":"Marabino","description":"\u003cp\u003ePierpaolo Messina did not inherit a winemaking tradition. He built one from scratch in 2002, returning to his family's agricultural land in the Val di Noto with a philosophy forged among Tuscany's biodynamic pioneers and a conviction that Nero d'Avola could speak with the precision and elegance of Burgundy's finest parcels.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe Marabino project grew out of Natura Iblea, an organic fruit and vegetable operation the family had run since 1996 in Contrada Buonivini near Noto. Pierpaolo formally separated the wine venture in 2002 and took full control of operations in 2008, the same year he adopted biodynamic farming across all 30 hectares. His years studying in Siena had exposed him to producers whose biodynamic discipline produced wines of uncommon purity, and he returned to Sicily determined to apply those same standards to the island's indigenous varieties.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eMore on how they farm and work in the cellar in our \u003ca href=\"\/blogs\/natural-wine-producers-primal-wine\/marabino\"\u003eMarabino producer profile\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"noto-nero-davola-marabino-sicily-italy-red-wine","title":"Marabino Nero d'Avola 2015","description":"\u003cp\u003eMarabino sits in Contrada Buonivini, a single rural district in the Noto valley of southeastern Sicily, less than 7km from the sea. The soils here are calcareous and clayey, ranging chromatically from white limestone to black clay, at elevations between 30 and 80 meters above sea level. Pierpaolo Messina has managed the estate since 2008 and converted to biodynamic farming that same year, building on an organic base established when the family founded Natura Iblea in 1996.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis Nero d'Avola is made from 100% estate-grown grapes, hand-harvested from bush-trained vines in Contrada Buonivini. No synthetic chemicals are used in the vineyard or cellar. Fermentation is spontaneous with native yeasts only. After extended maceration on the skins, the wine aged for 12 months in 60-hectoliter French oak barrels. No sulfites are added.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eNero d'Avola is the dominant indigenous red variety of southeastern Sicily, historically centered around the town of Avola in the province of Siracusa. In this corner of the island, the grape produces wines with more structure, dried floral character, and spice complexity than versions grown further west. Marabino's location at the latitude of Noto places it at one of the warmest and sunniest points in Europe, moderated by proximity to both the Ionian Sea and the Sicilian Channel.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe 2015 vintage at 14.5% ABV reflects full physiological ripeness achieved through extended hang time on low-growing bush vines. The wine delivers concentrated dark fruit, earthy undertones, and a firm tannic structure that benefits from decanting before serving.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Marabino","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":8461602095159,"sku":"MARANOTO14C","price":24.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0019\/3363\/9735\/files\/marabino-noto-nero-d_avola-natural-wine-primal-wine-copyright_0da255e9-0beb-402e-88c4-6901a64e1e5a.png?v=1780901842"},{"product_id":"eureka-chardonnay-marabino-sicily-italy-orange-wine","title":"Marabino Eureka Chardonnay 2016","description":"\u003cp\u003eEureka is made from Chardonnay sourced from two distinct plots in Contrada Buonivini, Noto, in southeastern Sicily. One vineyard sits on limestone-gray soils alongside a traditional Arab-era water drain called a saia, which keeps temperatures cooler and more humid. The other is planted in deep, black clay soils. Both are trained to spurred cordon and planted with selected Chardonnay clones adapted to this hot, coastal microclimate.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe grapes are whole-cluster macerated with skins in stainless steel tanks for 12 to 15 days using only native yeasts, with no oenological additives of any kind. After fermentation, the wine rests in stainless steel until the following spring, receiving continuous batonnage timed to the lunar calendar. Total sulfites are low at 28 mg\/L with nothing added in the cellar.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFarming at Marabino is certified organic and guided by biodynamic principles since winemaker Pierpaolo Messina took over in 2008. The estate covers approximately 27 to 30 hectares entirely in Contrada Buonivini, at 30 to 80 meters above sea level, less than 7 kilometers from the sea. No grapes or wine are purchased from outside the estate.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe result is an orange wine that reads as a place rather than a variety. The skin contact adds texture and amber color without overwhelming the mineral and stone-fruit character native to this corner of Sicily. Bottled under the Terre Siciliane IGT designation.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Marabino","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":8461717241911,"sku":"MARACHAR16C","price":25.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0019\/3363\/9735\/files\/marabino-eureka-chardonnay-natural-wine-primal-wine-copyright.png?v=1780900469"},{"product_id":"muscatedda-orange-marabino-naturral-wine","title":"Marabino Muscatedda Orange 2020","description":"\u003cp\u003eMuscatedda is the local Sicilian name for the first vineyard harvested in Val di Noto. The wine is made from Moscato di Noto (Moscato Bianco), the only native white grape of the territory, grown in a single west-facing vineyard in Contrada Buonivini at 65 meters above sea level. The soil is white calcareous limestone, which reflects light and contributes a saline quality to the wine. Moscato di Noto is historically used for sweet passito and fortified wines; this is the dry, skin-contact version.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eGrapes are hand-harvested and fermented spontaneously with native yeasts in steel tanks with the skins for approximately 15 days. The wine then matures in steel tanks through the following spring, with continuous bâtonnage performed on fruit days according to the lunar calendar. No oenological additives are used at any stage.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe result is a golden-orange wine with a fine tannic texture unusual for the variety. Aromas lean toward orange blossom, apricot, grapefruit peel, and dried Mediterranean herbs, backed by a mineral, saline finish driven by the white limestone soils. The 15-day maceration adds grip without heaviness, keeping the wine dry and linear.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eMarabino farms all vineyards biodynamically under certified organic management. The estate is in Contrada Buonivini within the Noto DOC zone in southeastern Sicily, near Syracuse. The wine is labeled Terre Siciliane IGT.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Marabino","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":36089382305944,"sku":"MARAMUSC19C","price":27.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0019\/3363\/9735\/products\/marabino-muscatedda-sicily-natural-wine-primal-wine.jpg?v=1780186923"},{"product_id":"rosso-di-contrada-nero-davola-marabino-natural-wine","title":"Marabino Rosso di Contrada Nero d'Avola 2018","description":"\u003cp\u003eMarabino's Rosso di Contrada is 100% Nero d'Avola sourced from four parcels on a single hill in Contrada Buonivini, Noto: Conca (21%), Coniglio (14%), Parrino (21%), and Lenza Lunga (44%). The vineyards sit at 30 to 80 meters above sea level on calcareous clay soils with mineral variation from white limestone to black clay, less than 7 kilometers from the sea. Vines are bush-trained (alberello) using massal selections from old Pachino stock.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eEach parcel is fermented and aged separately using spontaneous indigenous yeast fermentation. Grapes are de-stemmed but not crushed to preserve whole berry integrity. The wine spends 12 months in stainless steel, then at least one year in bottle before release. Bottling is timed to fruit days of the biodynamic lunar calendar. No additives or oenological products are used at any stage.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe 2018 vintage shows cranberry, sour cherry, and wild strawberry on the nose with notes of cured meat and dried herbs. The palate is dry and vibrant, with orange zest and clove threading through the fruit. Tannins are firm but approachable, and acidity is lively, giving the wine both freshness and structure. At 13.5% ABV, it drinks with more energy than weight.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eMarabino has held biodynamic and organic certification since 2008. The winery was founded in 2002 by Pierpaolo Messina as a spin-off from Natura Iblea, a family organic produce company established in 1996. The estate's 29 hectares are all within Contrada Buonivini. Historic red wines from this zone were historically known as Pachino wines, a nod to the contrada-level identity that Marabino continues to emphasize today.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Marabino","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":40767289327815,"sku":"MARAROSS18C","price":28.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0019\/3363\/9735\/products\/marabino-rosso-di-contrada-red-natural-wine-primal-wine.jpg?v=1780185804"}],"url":"https:\/\/primalwine.com\/collections\/marabino.oembed","provider":"Primal Wine","version":"1.0","type":"link"}