The passito of Pantelleria
The passito of Pantelleria is maybe the most famous landmark of the island. The delicious passito.
The history of the making of passito in Pantelleria dates back more than two thousand years. Already in the year 200 BC, Mago, a fierce Carthaginian general, described how the ancestor of the Passito di Pantelleria was made:
“Harvest the ripe bunches, separating the mouldy ones from them and expose them at the sunlight over a cane, protecting it from the mist with a cover over the night. When bunches are dry, remove the grapes and cover them with must. After six days, squeeze and collect the liquid. After completing this operation, press the marc adding the liquid obtained from the grapes that have been under the sunlight for three days.
Finally, seal the wine in clay jars, to be opened after 30-day fermentation…”
This wine has been produced from the Zibibbo grapes for a long, long time in the island of Pantelleria and can boast an important history of awards. In 1900 was awarded at the Paris Exposition, in 1936 was recognised as traditional, regional type of wine for its velvet, sweet, caressing and generous taste” and in 1971, the third among Sicilian wines, obtained the Doc (AOC) wine recognition.
Over the years, the absolute goodness of the passito has created some curious myths, like the one of the goddess Tanit, which faked to be one of the cupbearers and instead of serving ambrosia, the typical drink of the Olympus, with the must of Pantelleria vineyards, conquering the love of Apollo of whom she was in love with. This wine is produced in the following varieties: White, Moscato, passito, Golden Moscato, Fortified Moscato, Sparkling Moscato, Fortified passito and Sweet Zibibbo.
[from da: http://www.passitopantelleria.it/storia/]
The web site www.passitopantelleria.it was created in order to give more detailed and complete analysis of the passito
