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Abbazia San Giorgio

Zibibbo Orange 2019

Price: $49.95
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Tasting notes

Zibibbo in skin-contact form is rarely this complete: the grape's inherent floral intensity — jasmine, candied orange peel, apricot — is anchored by a salty, volcanic mineral tension that keeps it from tipping into sweetness. Fifteen days of maceration gives it just enough tannin grip and amber color to reward slower sipping, while six months in chestnut barrels adds a subtle spiced warmth without obscuring the fruit.

BodyFruitTanninAcidity
Candied Orange PeelApricotOrange BlossomSaline Mineral
  • Style: Skin-contact orange wine; hazy amber; floral, citrus, and saline; 13% ABV; no added sulfites
  • Grapes & Terroir: 100% Zibibbo (Muscat of Alexandria); 60-year-old alberello vines; volcanic soils, Contrada Khamma, Pantelleria, ~300m elevation
  • Winemaking: Hand-harvested September; destemmed; ~15-day skin maceration with indigenous yeast in stainless steel; 6 months stainless steel, 6 months chestnut barrel; unfined, unfiltered, no sulfites
  • Serving: Serve chilled at 50-55F; no decanting needed; drink now or hold 2-4 years
  • Pairing: Grilled shellfish, crab, roasted chicken, rabbit, soft cheeses, Mediterranean herb dishes
  • Similar To: For fans of skin-contact whites and aromatic orange wines who want volcanic terroir and zero intervention

Abbazia San Giorgio's Orange is made from 100% Zibibbo (Muscat of Alexandria) grown in Contrada Khamma on the southeastern side of Pantelleria, a volcanic island in the Strait of Sicily closer to Tunisia than to mainland Sicily. The vines average 60 years old, trained in the traditional alberello pantesco system — head-trained bush vines planted in shallow ground basins that shelter them from the island's relentless scirocco winds. Soils are volcanic, low in organic matter, and rich in micronutrients, giving the wine its saline, mineral backbone. The vineyards sit at approximately 300 meters above sea level and are dry-farmed, as there are no freshwater sources on the island.

Harvest begins in early September, when the first optimally ripe clusters are picked by hand. Grapes are destemmed and fermented with skins in stainless steel tanks using only indigenous yeasts from the grape skins — a process lasting roughly 15 days. No additives or sulfites are used at any point. The wine is aged for six months in stainless steel silos and then six months in chestnut barrels, then bottled without fining or filtration.

The wine is classified as IGP Terre di Sicilia. Farming is described by the producer as 'more than organic,' incorporating some biodynamic techniques, though the estate holds no formal certification. Chemical fertilizers, synthetic pesticides, and fungicides are not used. Most years the vineyard is left untouched between growing seasons.

In the glass, this is a hazy amber-orange wine with aromas typical of Zibibbo in skin-contact form: candied citrus peel, apricot, jasmine, and a savory, salty mineral undercurrent. Warm, fresh, and structured on the palate with a notably long finish. ABV is 13%.

This wine is well suited to crustaceans, grilled shellfish, and briny seafood dishes — the salt and mineral backbone mirror the flavors of the sea. It works equally well with roasted poultry, rabbit, and white meat dishes that have some fat to balance the wine's structure. Soft or semi-aged cheeses and dishes with Mediterranean herbs are also a natural match.

Wine details

Dry/Sweet:, Dry
Wine Type:, Orange Wine
Wine Style:, Medium Body
Grapes:, Zibibbo
Farming:, Sustainable
Vintage:, 2019
Alcohol:, 13%
Country:, Italy
Region:, Sicily
Appellation:, Terre di Sicilia IGP
Bottle Size:, 750ml
Sugar Level:, Zero Added Sugar

We will process and ship your order in 2-3 business days, you will receive a shipping confirmation email with tracking as soon as the Carrier scans the shipping label.

Ground shipping time depends on location, here's a breakdown:

West Coast: 1-2 business days
Midwest: 3-4 business days
East Coast: 5 business days

Process time is not shipping time. Shipping time starts from the days successive to the day of shipping, after the order has been processed.

See here our shipping policy.


Important Compliance Requirements

FedEx and other carriers we might occasionally use can only deliver wine to customers who are 21 years or older. Someone must be at the address to receive the package, carriers don't just drop a package and leave. They must ensure the person receiving the wine is 21 or older.


Re-shipping a Package

If a package is returned to us after three failed delivery attempts, we can only re-ship the wine upon payment of a re-shipping fee, to be determined based on the shipping address and number of bottles. Shipping wine is extremely expensive. We are sorry about this, but we have no other choice. Please make sure there's always someone at the address you enter as your shipping address.

If you'd like to receive a refund for a package that was returned to us after FedEx made three delivery attempts, we can do that but we must keep a $20 refund fee; FedEx charges us a lot of money for returns, unfortunately, I can't stress this enough.


Re-routing a Package

If you'd like to reroute a package after it's been shipped, we can do so for a $20 re-routing fee. We cannot re-route a package across state borders. For any change of address, please contact us as soon as possible, ideally within 1-2 days from placing the order or we cannot guarantee we'll be able to reroute or change your order's shipping address.


Canceling an Order

If you'd like to cancel an order after it's been shipped, we can do so upon payment of a small cancellation fee – the amount depends on the size of the order. Carriers charge us a lot of money to recall a package en-route.


Heat/Frost damage

We are not responsible for heat- or frost-related issues. We offer ice-packs upon request. Please let us know if you think that there could be heat-related issues. If we don't hear anything from you regarding weather issues before an order is shipped, or if you don't request a hold due to the weather, we are not responsible for heat/frost damage.


Placed an order. What next?

1. You will receive an order confirmation email with your order summary.*

2. As soon as your order ships from the warehouse, usually within 2-3 business days, this applies to all shipping rates, you will receive a shipping confirmation email with your tracking information. 2DAY shipping refers to shipping time; we still need 2-3 business days to prepare an order. We need to pick and pack, QA, add printed collateral, and palletize the orders.

3. Please track your package using the tracking service.

4. The carrier will attempt delivery a maximum of 3 times. After 3 delivery attempts, your package will be sent back to our warehouse.**

*Please ensure your email address is correct; otherwise, you will not receive the order and shipping confirmation emails.

**If delivery is attempted 3 times without success, or if you fail to retrieve your package from the carrier depot by the stated deadline, the shipping fee will not be refunded to the customer.

Returns Policy

If you are not satisfied with your purchase, please contact us at (424) 414-2040 or via e-mail at hello@primalwine.com between 9 am and 5 pm Pacific Standard Time, Monday through Sunday, we would like to understand and try to solve your concerns. We can offer refunds only as store credit.

Producer profile

Abbazia San Giorgio

Abbazia San Giorgio was founded in 2015 by Battista Belvisi, Beppe Fontana, and Pina Passarello on the island of Pantelleria. Belvisi grew up on the island learning traditional winemaking from his father and grandfather, went on to study agriculture in Palermo, and later worked at Abraxas winery before collaborating with Gabrio Bini at Serragghia. The winery started with a production of around 4,000 bottles and has since grown to approximately 20,000 bottles annually.

The estate spans approximately 7 hectares divided into small plots, the majority concentrated in Contrada Khamma on the southeastern side of the island at around 300 meters above sea level. Old Zibibbo bush vines dominate the plantings, with the average vine age around 60 years. Other varieties cultivated include Catarratto, Nerello Mascalese, Pignatello, and Alicante. All vines are trained in the traditional alberello pantesco system.

Farming is conducted without chemical fertilizers, synthetic pesticides, or fungicides. Wild herbs are incorporated naturally into the soil at the end of winter. Biodynamic techniques are applied, though the estate carries no formal organic or biodynamic certification. In the cellar, fermentation proceeds with indigenous yeasts only, and no sulfur dioxide or other additives are used at any stage. All wines are bottled without fining or filtration.

Wine region

Sicily, Italy

Pantelleria is a volcanic island of 83 square kilometers located in the Strait of Sicily, 110 km southwest of Sicily and approximately 70 km from the Tunisian coast. Its highest point, Montagna Grande, reaches 836 meters above sea level. The climate is subtropical Mediterranean — hot and nearly rainless in summer, mild in winter, moderated year-round by sea breezes including the powerful scirocco and mistral winds. Annual rainfall averages around 500 mm, concentrated in winter months, and all vineyards are dry-farmed due to the complete absence of freshwater sources on the island.

Pantelleria falls under the Pantelleria DOC, which covers a range of wine styles all based on the Zibibbo grape (Muscat of Alexandria). The most historically famous expression is Passito di Pantelleria, made from sun-dried grapes, but producers increasingly vinify Zibibbo as dry still whites and skin-contact orange wines classified under the broader IGP Terre di Sicilia. Vine training follows the alberello pantesco method — low bush vines planted in hollowed ground basins to protect them from wind and conserve moisture. This ancient cultivation practice was inscribed by UNESCO as Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2014. Volcanic soils throughout the island are low in organic matter but rich in minerals, contributing the saline, stony character that defines Pantellerian wine.

Frequently asked question

We will process and ship your order in 2-3 business days, you will receive a shipping confirmation email with tracking as soon as the Carrier scans the shipping label.

Ground shipping time depends on location, here's a breakdown:

West Coast: 1-2 business days
Midwest: 3-4 business days
East Coast: 5 business days

Process time is not shipping time. Shipping time starts from the days successive to the day of shipping, after the order has been processed.

See here our shipping policy.

Signature on delivery is mandatory for wine deliveries. Please make sure someone is at the shipping address to sign for the package.

If applicable, please consider delivering the package to a business address to ensure someone is available to sign for the package.

We also have the option of delivering the package to a Carrier's store for pickup. Please reach out to us to coordinate.

Carrier will try to delivery a package up to three times before returning the package to us.

See here our shipping policy.

If you miss a delivery and a package gets returned to us we have two options:

1) Reship the package right away: due to the very high cost of shipping and returns, we must charge a re-shipping fee to be determined based on package size and shipping destination.

2) Consolidate the returned package with your next order: this option is free of charge and it's the most popular option.

See here our shipping policy.

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