Gabrio, 2018

In a former life Gabrio Bini was an eccentric architect in Milan. Now, he’s a an eccentric winemaker in an eccentric place: the tiny volcanic island of Pantelleria. This rugged sliver of land, 15km long, population 7000, is closer to Tunisia than Sicily and is known more for its hot springs and capers than wine. This is a fitting backdrop for Bini, who ferments 100% naturally with no sulphur and in buried clay amphorae. He works with Pantellerian natives pignatello, catarratto, and zibibo, all of which see extended contact with their skins. His wines are wild expressions of this wild place and tend to evolve dramatically in the glass.