Faro

About the wine

Faro DOC is a historic and highly distinctive red wine appellation from the hills surrounding the city of Messina in Sicily. Overlooking the Strait of Messina, the vineyards benefit from a unique maritime climate where constant winds mitigate humidity, allowing for a refined expression of the local terroir. The wine is primarily composed of Nerello Mascalese, which provides the structural backbone, balanced by the aromatic and blending contributions of Nerello Cappuccio and Nocera. Historically significant, Faro was once exported to France to bolster the wines of Bordeaux and Burgundy during the phylloxera crisis. Today, it is a niche, high-quality production characterized by a ruby-red color that evolves toward brick-red with age. On the palate, it is dry, harmonious, and medium-bodied, offering an elegant, ethereal, and persistent bouquet. The mandatory one-year aging process ensures the wine achieves a sophisticated balance, reflecting the rugged, sun-drenched, yet ventilated landscape of the Messina hills.

Grape varieties

Production & aging

The production zone is strictly limited to the territory of the municipality of Messina in Sicily. It spans the coastal and hilly areas overlooking the Strait of Messina, extending along the Ionian coast from Giampilieri Marina to Capo Peloro, and along the Tyrrhenian coast from Capo Peloro to the village of Ortoliuzzo. The area is defined by its alluvial, clay-rich soils and a unique microclimate influenced by the meeting of the two seas.