Wine&Go Trekking - Riserva di Santo Pietro

December 18, 2022
The Riserva Naturale Orientata “Bosco di Santo Pietro” was established in 1999, a small village twenty kilometers from Caltagirone. From 390 meters above sea level, it slopes gently towards the plain of Vittoria and is bordered to the west and north by the Terrana and Ogliastro valleys, to the east by the Ficuzza stream, and to the south by the municipal boundaries of Acate. The undergrowth is exceptionally rich, boasting over 300 plant species. Within the green heritage of Santo Pietro, three main habitats can be identified: the cork oak forest, the holm oak forest, and the garrigue. The monumental cork oaks of the forest, once described with admiration by chroniclers of the past, have largely disappeared today. A recent census, carried out by the Fondo Siciliano per la Natura, confirmed the presence of about fifty cork oaks and some carob trees with trunks measuring three meters in circumference. In the Molara district, a specimen of Quercus suber that reaches 6.2 meters still stands proudly. During walks in the woods, it is common to encounter porcupines, hares, wild rabbits, and weasels. Wild cats and foxes are also present. Among the birds, ninety-six different species can be observed, including the jay, as well as some rare species such as the great spotted woodpecker, the penduline tit, and the kestrel.

Fee: € 35.00, includes guide service, RCT insurance, and lunch at the Azienda vitivinicola Daino, owned by Gianfranco Daino, a passionate hiker and producer of organic wines.
N.B. Cancellations will be accepted until Thursday, 15/12/2022. From Friday onwards, any cancellation will still require payment of the participation fee.
Expenses not included: fuel costs for travel.
Meeting point: Sunday at 08:00 AM, S.S. 514 Ragusa/Catania, C/da Coffa at the Lukoil gas station (Chiaramonte Gulfi). Click the link below for the Google location.
https://maps.app.goo.gl/zYjBm6A6KyKx6xdF7
Alternatively, at Santo Pietro at 09:00 AM at the Bar, Pizzeria, Gelateria “La Pineta”. Click the link below for the Google location.
https://g.page/LaPinetaSantoPietro?share
End of excursion: 04:30 PM at Santo Pietro
Travel: own car
Difficulty: moderate
Route: 5 hours of walking – Forest track, marked trail.
Required equipment: trekking clothing, small backpack, windproof/waterproof jacket, hiking boots, hat, sweater, 1.5 liters of water.
N.B. The excursion will be conducted in accordance with current Covid-19 regulations. A few days before the excursion, we will send you an email with the latest information.
Guide: Salvatore Marletta: contact 3334987946 - Email: [email protected]
www.ciaotrekking.com

Some technical details about the winery hosting us for lunch:
Located in Caltagirone – a UNESCO World Heritage site, in the heart of Sicily, between the Gela plain and the Catania plain. 9,000 vines per hectare, at 325 meters above sea level, inside the Bosco di Santo Pietro. Majestic, centuries-old cork oaks (Quercus Suber, the name of the wine).
Thriving flora and fauna. A great union between territory and climate. In 1435, the "Maestranza dei Vigneri" was born in Catania. An association of Etna winemakers that brings together winemaking professionalism and the protagonists—the producer-winemakers. After 500 years, experience, historical, social, and technical research have developed a viticulture of "excellence." A spirit and pleasure of working and doing things well, without haste, in harmony first and foremost with oneself and with everything that surrounds us: nature, the Etna volcano, of which we are a part, not above it—all this forms part of the philosophy of wine production. An organic system of viticulture in respect and harmony with the environment, guided by oenologist Salvo Foti, who is committed to researching the territory and wines of Etna. A brief note on the oenologist: he has worked with Donnafugata on passito and white wines, and also with Cantina Gulfi, among other projects that have earned him proven prestige in the sector.
Description of the grape variety and the birth of the Suber wine: the vine is trained in the Alberello (bush-trained) style to offer each plant the right portion of soil and sun. Sunlight reaches all the vines equally and with the same intensity, excluding the phenomenon of shading between one plant and another. The three-dimensional spatial arrangement allows the wind and sun to circulate around it. As old winemakers say: the bee must be able to fly around the vine. Manual cultivation phases: Pruning according to lunar phases, carried out with scissors made by local artisans, just like in the old days. Surface roots are removed to stimulate the plant to grow deep. “Green pruning” is used to rebalance the plant's vegetation during the summer period and contain its canopy. The soil is enriched with nutrients, using natural and organic fertilization (sheep and horse manure) according to organic farming standards. Soil: Sandy and Mediterranean, intense red color overlying sandy-arenaceous rocks—a ventilated, dry climate, leading to grapes with harmonious richness and gustatory complexity. Enjoy the tasting!