Duca di Salaparuta Archivi — Enoteca di Piazza

Giuseppe Alliata, Prince of Villafranca, Prince of the Sacred Roman Empire, Grandee of Spain and Duke of Salaparuta, a passionate connoisseur of good wine, decides to produce a delicate, elegant, french style wine, from the grapes of his own estate located in Casteldaccia. The company’s first wines are born and are an absolute innovation compared to the island’s production at that time. Corvo Bianco and Corvo Rosso are born. 1832 Vincenzo Florio acquires land on a strip of beach situated between the bagli (the wineries) of Ingham and Woodhouse, and builds the Florio winery in a typical Anglo-Saxon style of the times complete with lancet arches and floors of pressed tuff powder. The building inspired great admiration and improved the industrial nature of the city of Marsala helping it develop into one of Sicily’s richest business centres. 1833 Vincenzo Florio founds the Cantine Florio giving not only a new dimension to the city of Marsala but contributing to the creation of modern Sicily. 1840 The production of Corvo Wines, a passion more than a business for Duke Giuseppe Alliata, continues with his son Edoardo, that thanks to his sharp business and management skills, transforms his father passion into a family business. 1855 After 20 years, Cantine Florio acquires fame through its quality marsala. The on market saturation had not worried Vincenzo Florio because in the years between 1840 and 1845 he had diversified his interests to maritime transports, fabrics, metallurgy, tuna-fishing grounds and sulphur mines. The wine’s long ageing process helps the quality of the wine, so the long wait was not a problem but an advantage. 1857 duca Corvo Prima Goccia is born
Edoardo Alliata, Duke of Salaparuta, builds the Cantine di Casteldaccia and imports Mabille wine presses from France that allow to draw only the first pressed must. Corvo Prima Goccia is born. 1860 Garibaldi visits the wineries Garibaldi lands at Marsala, visits the Florio wineries and conquers the whole island. 1861 florio, The affirmation of marsala. The affirmation of the marsala is complete.
The winery uses power steamed engines able to produce fifty thousand barrels of spirit and three thousand barrels of wine annually.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is the Duca di Salaparuta winery located and in what area of Sicily does it produce?

Duca di Salaparuta has its historic headquarters in Casteldaccia, in the province of Palermo, but the winery's vineyards extend across Sicily, from the slopes of Etna to the Gulf of Gela, in the province of Trapani. Choosing mainly hillside areas, well exposed to the wind, healthy and sun-drenched, allows each vineyard to express itself under the most suitable conditions.

Who founded the Duca di Salaparuta winery?

The winery was founded in 1824, when Giuseppe Alliata, Prince of Villafranca and Duke of Salaparuta, decided to vinify the grapes from his Casteldaccia estates himself, creating a wine that was innovative for its time in Sicily, Corvo Bianco and Corvo Rosso. In 2003 the winery merged with S.A.V.I. Florio, further expanding its production scale.

What wines does Duca di Salaparuta produce?

Today the winery farms over 165 hectares under vine with an annual production of about 9 million bottles, including its historic Corvo Bianco and Corvo Rosso labels. Production applies the concept of zoning, particularly well suited to Sicily given its variety of terroirs: the choice of grape varieties in each area comes from careful study of the territory.

Can you visit the Duca di Salaparuta winery? Do they offer tastings?

Yes, the historic Casteldaccia cellars are open for guided tours, retracing the winery's history among the aging casks of Duca di Salaparuta and Corvo, ending in a modern tasting room that combines contemporary architecture with centuries-old tradition. The experience has received TripAdvisor's Travellers' Choice award for its positive visitor reviews.