On the rugged island of Pantelleria, where abandoned terraces and punishing winds have driven most growers away, Nicoletta Pecorelli and Francesco Ferreri of Tanca Nica are reviving tradition with rare passion and vision. Farming just 3.5 hectares across 15 tiny parcels, they painstakingly cultivate ancient Zibibbo and other native varieties with UNESCO-recognized Alberello Pantesco training, organic practices, and exhaustive manual labor. Each tanca is vinified separately, yielding a dazzling range: from the bright and accessible Soki Soki, to the powerful Terra Forte, to four single-vineyard “grand cru” bottlings that mirror the island’s volcanic soils in yellow, gray, red, and black hues. Small cuvées of Catarratto, clairet-style blends, rare old-vine reds, pét-nats, and the soulful Passulata passito complete the lineup. In an era of formulaic “natural” wines, Tanca Nica stands apart—crafting bottles that speak not of trend but of place, struggle, and devotion to Pantelleria itself.
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