100% Zibibbo. The organic grapes are hand-harvested, then crushed and macerated on the skins before fermentation with indigenous yeasts. Ageing takes place in glass demijohns. The wine is neither filtered nor fined.
San Marco is the most sun-drenched and boldly structured expression in Tanca Nica’s celebrated quartet of single-vineyard Zibibbos: intense, almost raisinated in character, and unlike anything else from this volcanic island.
It comes from vines planted in 2014, at just 50 metres altitude on a northeast-facing slope rooted in terra forte soils , a mere stone’s throw from the sea. The plot is made up of red sand rich in iron and aluminium, and the grapes ripen here with all the accumulated heat of a Pantellerian summer. That proximity to the sea and the relentless Mediterranean sun set San Marco apart from the other three crus: where Cufurà floats at altitude and Bugeber draws its power from basalt bedrock, San Marco absorbs the warmth of the coast, producing fruit of exceptional concentration.
The result is the most structured wine of the range, reflecting the warmer terroir on iron-rich, red sandy soils: more tannic, with a darker fruit profile and dried flowers. The wine is the most structured of the single plots.
Where Cufurà is delicate and Bugeber is volcanic and raw, San Marco is opulent and commanding: a wine that needs time in the glass and rewards patience generously.
San Marco’s dark fruit, dried flower character and tannic grip make it a natural match for rich, slow-cooked dishes such as braised pork with capers and olives, lamb with wild herbs, or aged sheep’s milk cheeses. It also pairs beautifully with grilled oily fish, tuna conserva, and dishes with a gentle sweetness or spice.
Ultra rare.
