Highlights
About the location
Menfi stands on the Porto Palo foothills jutting out into the Sicilian sea opposite Africa and overlooking Porto Palo, a fishing village and quaint summer resort that once served as a harbor for the Greek colony of Selinunte. The long, sparsely populated coastline has 8 km of beaches with characteristic dunes and wild lilies in the sand. It's an unspoiled place, surrounded by vineyards and washed by the clean water of the sea: Menfi has held the European Blue Flag for 16 years and has gained a reputation as a pristine bathing resort and its beautiful natural landscape.
About the Estate
This hilltop working estate first appears to be a typical rural hamlet surrounded by vineyards and olive groves. Your hosts are top Sicilian wine producers who are attentive to every detail. Its fourteen rooms, each with a private terrace, and accented with the scent of the olive grove make it a truly inspiring place.
About the wineries
’Ulmo’ is the original winery of the family. It stands on the banks of the Arancio Lake, near the town of Sambuca di Sicilia. Inside, at ground level, are the fermentation vats, while below are the barrels for maturing the best selections of Chardonnay and Fiano. Its overall capacity is about 1,200 barrels. The winery is devoted to the production and maturation of the white wines Alastro, Cometa and Chardonnay.
Dispensa is the heart of the company, as the center of its technology and its production also serves as the historic home of the family. There are two wineries; the first is dedicated to producing the quality red wines Merlot, Syrah and Burdese. The winery has a total capacity of 400,000 liters with its own bottling line. Areas have been provided on the floor below for the wood storage, with a total capacity of about 1,500 barrels.
Programma
First day: Palermo, Menfi.
Arrive at the airport of Palermo, meet our driver and transfer to Menfi where you will stay in a refined wine estate, a place where you can easily take time out and relax. In the evening, dinner will be served in the big dining room where guests sit together round the 30-seat dining table.
Second day: Harvest Time, Selinunte Temples.
a) A good breakfast and then join the harvest. Later visit the cellars of Ulmo and Dispensa and have a guided wine-tasting.
b) Visit the olive grove and olive mill, collect the olives from the trees, and assist to the process of production of the extra virgin olive oil. Tasting of three varieties of oil in combinations to dishes of the rural tradition.
In the afternoon Selinunte, the Europe's biggest archaeological park and, once, the most important Greek colony in the eastern coast of Sicily, full of temples, sanctuaries, fortifications and sculptured metopes.
Third day: Mazara del Vallo, Dancing Satyr,Cooking.
Today you will have the chance to visit the small town of Mazara del Vallo, a real casbah, this being the most 'Arabic’ Italian town, it will be nice wondering among its narrows streets.
Later, we will admire the "Dancing Satyr" found in the waters of Mazara del Vallo. This bronze statue, expression of the Hellenistic tradition, represents a satyr member of Dionyses’orgiastic court. He dances in a blowing whirlwind causing his hair to wave. It is touching.
Light lunch at the resort.
Whether you are an amateur, a gourmet or a passionate food lover, food is a key to discover and understand Sicily, so let’s take your cooking class held by the resident chef Angelo Pumilia and one of the owners, guardians of the Sicilian culinary tradition; it will be a funny and true Sicilian experience. You will have two hours of demonstrative lesson during which you will attend the realization of three recipes, from the choice of ingredients to ’’mise en place’’.
Forth day: Leaving
Transfer to the airport. This journey comes to an end. Hope you enjoyed it.
Date & Quote
Grape Harvest: from August to September
Olive Harvest: from October to November
Quote: on request
Including:
- 3 overnight stay & Breakfast
- 1 visit to the winery and wine tasting
Or visit at the olive grove and oil tasting
- 1 light lunch
- Private first class air-conditioned vehicle & English speaking driver for the transfers and the visits in the program
Not Including:
- Flights
- Personal Expenses
- cooking lesson
- drinks & meals
- Museum Entrance Tickets
- Everything not mentioned as included
- City taxes to be paid on spot
Booking & Cancellation Policy
HOW TO BOOK
You can initiate a booking by sending an enquiry by e-mail This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or telephoning us directly 0039 091 583728, or sending an enquiry online at our website formwww.privatesicily.it . You will be contacted by a member of our staff within 48 hours (working days). We will send you a proposal and quote for the services required. Once we have receiced your written confirmation we will confirm all the service by issuing and sending via e-mail a pro-forma invoice. Please check this pro-forma invoice carefully as soon as you receive it and contact us immediately if there is any wrong information about you or the services confirmed.
GUARANTEED DEPARTURES
The tours marked as guaranteed departures will depart as scheduled with the minimum number of participants specified in each tour. We will confirm the tour 30 days before the scheduled day. We try to make every departure work and only cancel when absolutely necessary and we may decide to operate a tour with less than the normal minimum number of people.
If your tour is cancelled because the minimum size group is not met, you will have the option to either transfer to another tour or receive a full refund of the deposit paid.
PAYMENT
Usually to confirm your booking, we require a deposit of 30% of the total quote, and the balance is required 30 days before departure ; we will specify when different conditions apply in your pro-forma invoice.
CHANGES
Any changes to your confirmed booking, must be notified us in writing. Whilst we will endeavour to assist, we cannot guarantee we will be able to meet the requests. Changes in party size which result in a decrease in the overall cost of the booking will be treated as a partial cancellation and our normal cancellation charges will apply.
CANCELLATIONS
Any cancellation should be made in writing (by e-mail).
Following penalties (% of total invoice) will be applied for cancellations made:
If different conditions apply, they will be specified in the booking process.