• My name is Marilena Barbera
    and I am a winegrower.
    I live and make my wines in Menfi, Sicily.

Who I am

Who I am

Making wine is my life choice.

When I got back to Sicily after years I had spent somewhere else, I found the vineyards and my father’s dream. I took his dream and made it mine.

To live here, to feel the energy of this beautiful though difficult land, trying to understand its essence and to capture its generous personality.

To be witness and guardian of terroir, preserving its integrity, absorbing its strength and richness, trying to transfer to my wines its profound and fascinating spirit.

No tricks, no frills. Just wine.

My wines

My wines

I make my wines practicing biodynamic farming and natural winemaking, while paying utmost respect to Menfi's terroir.

No herbicides or synthetic fertilizers are ever allowed in my vineyard, nor any other systemic farm chemicals that may alter the environment's health and its rich biodiversity.

At the winery, I work only with spontaneous fermentations and non-invasive winemaking practices, in order to respect the unique personality of Sicilian native grape varieties and the beautiful land to which they belong.

Menfi and its terroir

Menfi and its terroir

The uncontaminated deep blue sea, with its remarkable scenery of sandy dunes covered with dwarf palms and sea lilies.

The bright sunshine, the fresh breeze blowing from the ocean. Unforgettable landscapes of a beautiful valley that lies in the South-western part of Sicily, where the Belìce River gently flows into the sea.

A focused and sustainable viticulture, close to the amazing Greek ruins of Selinunte, where the Sican, Elymian and Phoenician heritage intertwined, giving birth to one of the richest cultures of the Mediterranean.

This is Menfi: sea and wind, air and light, and the fascinating history of human civilization. And this is what you find in my wines.

My story

My story

We have been winegrowers for three generations: a 100 years long story, a legacy of love and respect
Wine book

Wine book

Always up-to-date with all available wines and vintages: ready for browsing, or for immediate download

Photo album

Photo album

My book of photo shots from my vineyard in Sicily, available in HR for download - please cite the source

Video gallery

Video gallery

My YouTube channel with harvest stories, tastings, travels and meetings with very special people

NEWS FROM THE BLOG

Between a road map and a winery notebook, a personal digital moleskine with notes on winemaking, tastings and events, people I meet, places I see: my everyday life in the wine world.

  • Menfi DOC: Wine and Terroir

    Menfi DOC: Wine and Terroir

    The DOC Menfi Appellation: from history to landscapes, and from climate to grape varieties, everything you need to know about one of the most interesting wine regions of Sicily.

    Read more

  • Zibibbo, a story of Sicilian identity

    Zibibbo, a story of Sicilian identity

    Zibibbo is one of the rarest grapes in the word with a triple attitude: it is a wine grape, a table grape and a raisin grape. Learn about its long history that dates back 5.000 years.

    Read more

  • What wine producers can do for climate change

    What wine producers can do for climate change

    Electricity is a significant expenditure items in a winery’s budget, and it has a great environmental impact. My energy-related choices make my winery 100% sustainable.

    Read more

  • Wild yeast and the miracle of life

    Wild yeast and the miracle of life

    Wild yeast and spontaneous fermentations, key points of the natural wine movement, are linked to Mediterranean traditions that remain a source of inspiration for winegrowers all over the world.

    Read more

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