Bewitching landscapes, blue horizons
The Coste Ghirlanda Estate is situated in a valley in the centre of the island, its Zibibbo vineyards protected by the characteristic dry stone terracing. Looking out towards Sicily, the Montagnole Estate lies in a splendid nature reserve, with terraced vineyards sloping down towards the sea. Lastly, the Nikà Estate where extensive olive orchards and citrus groves merge into the Mediterranean shrub land and the sun sets in vermilion splendour over the coasts of Tunisia.
Look at the following pictures and lose yourselves in the enchantment of our estates.
The Coste Ghirlanda Estate
Enchantment and Silence
The Estate, blending naturally into a landscape dominated by expanses of terraced Zibibbo bush vines, extends for nearly sixty thousand square metres on the edge of the Plain of Ghirlanda in the centre of the island, where the valley slopes gently upwards… hence the Italian name Coste Ghirlanda.
On the Coste Estate we cultivate nearly ten thousand Zibibbo vines, some planted decades ago, which give a particular flavour to our wines. In addition to grapes, we grow several varieties of fruit trees and citrus trees on the estate where an orange grove, protected by an Arab garden built in traditional Pantellerian dry stone, fills the air with the scent of orange blossom.
White roofs
Among the vineyards we catch a glimpse of the white roofs of the dammusi, those ancient stone dwellings built by the island farmers, which tell the tales of the men who lived in them centuries before we did. Their small rooms with arched ceilings, called alcoves, welcomed bridal couples while the stone benches, called ducchène in Pantellerian dialect provided rest for the farmers after a hard day’s work in the fields.
In the centre of the Estate lies the Wine Laboratory, the heart of Coste Ghirlanda, where our products are born and tempt you to taste them. All around are ancient dammusi in which we welcome our guests. And lastly, make a stop at the Sales Outlet where you will find our wines, our small gourmet jars and other ideas… souvenirs of the Estate’s atmosphere to take away with you.
The Montagnole Estate
An oasis at dawn
The Montagnole Estate lies in that part of the island which faces East, nestling in a nature reserve of Mediterranean shrub land. It offers a spellbinding view over the sea towards the coasts of Sicily. Each morning, the golden glow of the dawn caresses the vineyards which slope down towards the sea and dries the salty dew on the vine leaves.
The Estate covers almost one hundred and fifty thousand square metres descending towards the sea with thirteen ancient dammusi in and around the vineyards. The Montagnole Project plans to restore these ancient rural homes while upholding the traditional life and building styles of the island and thus recreate the original atmosphere of this incomparable and still unspoiled area.
Douceur et saveur
On this Estate, we have left the nature reserve intact so the individual grapevines, struggling stoically among the stones, capture the sea breeze and produce fruit with a high sugar content and particularly intense flavours. At Montagnole we cultivate nearly twenty-five thousand vines, as well as capers, olives and fruit trees.
In Springtime, the blossoming lemon and peach trees create an unusual panorama along the terraced vineyards in the Reserve . Nearby we find other trees flowering in colourful profusion and plants typical of the Mediterranean shrub land: Broom, Blackberry bushes, Mastic bushes, Rock Rose, Phillyrea and many other species.
The Nikà Estate
Earth energy
The Nikà Estate is located in the South-west of the Island. On calm evenings you can admire the breathtaking African sunsets illuminating the coasts of Tunisia, The Estate contains a series of ancient dammusi in and around the fifty thousand square metres of Mediterranean shrub land, expanses of low-growing olive trees and small terraced vineyards overlooking the sea.
The Nikà Estate is a special place… a source of earth energy… it is said, in fact, that in ancient times there may have been a temple here. As we stroll among the century-old olive trees and fragrant citrus groves watching the sea disappear into the horizon, we perceive sensations of wellbeing and harmony.
Surrounded by prickly pears growing among the volcanic rocks, the dammusi of Nikà tell their time-old tales and stand guard over the two hundred or more olive trees scattered around the estate.
Dammusi
Il silenzio del bosco
This is the name of an ancient dammuso of compelling charm which dominates the highest part of the Estate. Here you can enjoy moments of complete repose listening to the silence of the woods caressed by the wind. The external architecture faithfully reveals its centuries-old history, while the interior has been carefully redesigned with details of modern elegance.
Silenzio del Bosco can comfortably accommodate four guests and is surrounded by ample outside space, where you can enjoy the landscape while relaxing in the shade of an old carob tree. In this dammuso you can share culinary experiences sheltered from the sun under the cannizzo, a typical Pantellerian terrace pergola.
You will be living an experience which takes you back to the origins of ancient tradition, in a unique context, surrounded by vineyards sweeping gently towards the woods and the mysterious silence of Pantellerian nights enhanced by breathtaking starlit skies.
La Viola del Pensiero
This tiny dammuso, named after the Pansy, from the French word for thought, houses two guests and looks over the Valley of Ghirlanda and whose view is finally lost in the sea beyond. Surrounded by expanses of Zibibbo graevines, La Viola del Pensiero provides ample space among the olive trees to cook outside and the palm-leaf pergolas or cannizi provide shade where you can relax after a day of intense activity.
The intimacy of the small rooms of this dammuso with its violet coloured walls, enhanced by the use of precious materials and objects together with the informal but attentive service paid to the wishes of its guests, will make your stay in this place a magical and unrepeatable experience.
Lying in the shade of a palm tree in the Arab garden, pervaded by the fragrance of orange blossom and jasmine, reading or just thinking, you can enjoy moments of peace and tranquillity far from the stress of your usual daily routine.
Dammuso dell'Amore
This ancient dammuso, carefully restored to respect the architectural traditions of Pantelleria, is found at the edge of the Coste Ghirlanda Estate, wedged in a rock wall from which its undulating rooftops seem to emerge. From here you have a spectacular view of the vineyards
Hidden among fruit trees and surrounded by an atmosphere of times gone by, this dammuso can accommodate two people inside an interior which we deliberately left unchanged. It inherits from its original rustic structure that magical atmosphere, albeit enriched with elements of contemporary furnishing which makes it… a small love-nest.
A delightful place isolated from the rest of the Estate, in the Dammuso dell’Amore where you can enjoy moments of absolute peace and tranquillity in an atmosphere permeated by the uncontaminated nature surrounding it.. At the end of the day, if you feel like meeting up with the Friends of Coste, the wooden pathways through the vineyards will lead you to the Laboratory where you can spend a pleasant evening in good company.
