The sky is clear and limpid, and the breezes coming off the Strait of Sicily keep the clouds racing. In front of the vineyard lies a natural amphitheatre, several kilometres across, and in the background the white houses of Sambuca, with those of Santa Margherita del Belice further west. Lower down, on the valley floor, is Lago Arancio, a reservoir in the heart of a barren, sun-baked land, which is an oasis for numerous migrant birds. Dozens of hectares of vineyards cover the hillsides, sloping down towards the reservoir, at altitudes from 400 to 200 metres above sea level. It is a green island.
This is Terreliade, Santa Margherita Gruppo Vinicolo’s Mediterranean soul, a land dominated by the sun and cooled by the wind even during the most torrid period of the year. The medium-textured clay-rich soil protects the natural balance of the vines, the dry climate keeps diseases at bay, and the wide day-night temperature fluctuations give the grapes unique aromas and flavours. This “unicum” yields very elegant, rich wines, with ripe fruity flavours.
