Lamoresca

In the rugged hills of central Sicily outisde the village of San Michele di Ganzaria, where the provinces of Catania and Enna meet at the Elsa River, Filippo Rizzo and his family tend a biodiverse oasis in a landscape dominated by industrial grain fields. The story began years ago when Filippo met his wife Nancy, a Belgian woman hitchhiking through Italy. Their romance led Filippo to move to Belgium, where he opened a restaurant focused on traditional Sicilian cuisine. It was there, as one of the first outside Paris to champion natural wines, that Filippo discovered his true calling. During this time, he befriended Frank Cornelissen, his wine sales rep, who would later play a role when Filippo decided to return to Sicily to produce his own additive-free wines.

When Filippo and Nancy moved back to Sicily to establish Lamoresca, Filippo used Frank’s cellar facilities for the first two vintages while completing his own cantina. Today, Lamoresca spans 25 hectares of organically farmed land, with half devoted to vineyards that cascade across sandstone soils mixed with calcium and iron-rich clay at 450 meters above sea level. The estate remains one of the few artisan wineries in this remote corner of Sicily, roughly 50 square kilometers from any neighbor, positioned between Mount Etna to the north and Gela on the southern coast.

Central to Lamoresca's philosophy is Monte Stagno, a small mountain the family acquired five years ago, just across the Elsa River from their original vineyards. Once abandoned and overrun with wild brambles, this 100-meter rise has been transformed into their own natural reserve—a living testament to their commitment to biodiversity. The mountain now harbors Sicilian black snakes, porcupines, wild rabbits, the endangered Sicilian black bee, and small eagles that hunt from its heights. As the years have progressed, the family has more recently planted Nerello Mascalese between rows of prickly pears (which might be the only vineyard of its kind!), as well as more Frappato and Catarratto.

The vineyards across the entire estate are home to old vines of Nero d'Avola, Frappato, Grenache, and Nerello Mascalese for the reds, alongside Vermentino, Catarratto, and Zibibbo for the whites. These indigenous and traditional varieties thrive alongside wild herbs, ancient olive trees, and native Sicilian forest trees that the family actively plants to combat the surrounding monoculture. Every vine is worked by hand, without chemicals or pesticides, in a tireless commitment to organic farming.

Filippo's son Simon has joined the family endeavor, bringing fresh energy while respecting the established traditions. In the vineyard and cellar, Filippo's decades of experience guide every crucial decision, particularly in blending and winemaking. Simon works closely alongside his father, absorbing this knowledge while taking responsibility for sharing Lamoresca's story with the world through communications, allocations, and customer relationships.

The winemaking philosophy remains uncompromising: natural fermentation without temperature control, minimal intervention, and sulfur used only when absolutely necessary. Through their wines, the Rizzo family offers more than just a taste of Sicily; they share a piece of land that has been lovingly restored and protected, where each bottle tells the story of biodiversity, tradition, and the honest work of farmers committed to preserving healthy ecosystems while crafting wines of place and purpose.

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