Celebrated by Pliny, loved by Caesar, this ancient wine originating from the territory of the city of Messina has in recent years been recovered and enhanced thanks to the patient work of small local winemakers
Every success deserves its wine. To celebrate his consulship, Julius Caesar chose the Sicilian Mamertino. The roots of Mamertino - one of the oldest wines in history - lie in the territory of Milazzo, precisely in the current province of Messina. Deep roots dating back to 289 BC, when the Mamertines, mercenary soldiers of Campanian origin, famous for playing a leading role in the outbreak of the First Punic War, after the death of Agathocles, tyrant of Syracuse, treacherously took over Messina, turning the city from an agricultural and commercial center into a base for their pirate raids.
The Messina area is particularly suited for vine cultivation, thanks to the warm Mediterranean climate, always tempered by sea breezes, and hilly soils between 100 and 350 meters in altitude, mainly clayey with volcanic rocks, very suitable for growing red grape varieties.
Despite the particularly favorable terroir for wine production and its success in antiquity - Strabo considered Mamertino among the best wines of the time, while Pliny ranked it fourth among 195 wines known then – this wine was at risk of disappearing from the Sicilian wine scene. Today, in fact, its vineyards have been reduced to just a few hectares.
In September 2004, the Mamertino di Milazzo DOC designation was created, covering 31 municipalities in the province of Messina and including 6 grape varieties: four white grapes - Grillo, Inzolia, and Catarratto - and two black grapes - Nocera and Nero d’Avola. But the decisive contribution came from small local producers, including Vigna Nica, who were able to network by founding, in 2019, the Mamertino DOC Association (ADM). These are small family businesses, averaging 3 or 4 hectares per company and a total annual production of around 100,000 bottles. Families who, with their patient and heroic work, have (finally) brought Mamertino back to the center of wine news.
