After a five-year search, the Mazzei family discovered the land for Zisola in 2003 in southeast Sicily where Nero d’Avola is thought to have originated. The property is next to Noto, a UNESCO World Heritage site famous for its Baroque buildings, and the family saw the potential of this site, rich in heritage and biodiversity. Zisola is comprised of 50 hectares with magnificent citrus, almond and olive groves. The estate’s sandy limestone mix and Mediterranean climate provide the perfect location to cultivate grapes. Over 24 hectares of traditional alberello (head-trained) vines, planted primarily to Nero d’Avola, comprise the estate vineyards and require over 400 hours of hand work per hectare each year. Subtle elevations (295-425 feet) and open exposures allow the breezes from the Ionian Sea to moderate the summer heat. The estate has always used customized organic practices that focus on soil health, preserving biodiversity and avoiding pesticides; today, it is in the process of becoming certified organic. With Zisola, the Mazzei family imbue the rich heritage of the land with their centuries of winegrowing knowledge to deliver a new generation of acclaimed Sicilian wines that are concentrated and complex while still elegant and fresh.