Azienda Agricola Mortilla is situated on the slopes of the Iblei Mountains, in the district of Chiaramonte Gulfi, in the province of Ragusa. The property is run by the Nicosia family.
In the late 19th century, Carmelo Nicosia inherited 5 hectares of Mortilla vineyards from his late father, Biagio. After many years of his family farming various crops - grapes, citrus fruits, prickly pears, persimmons and olives – Carmelo decided to concentrate on wine. Carmelo worked the vineyards alongside his wife & 6 children (two sons and four daughters). He went on to purchase additional vineyards in Mortilla.
The estate continued to be passed down through the generations, from Carmelo to his son Salvatore, then Salvatore to his son Carmelo. Carmelo took over in the 1960, and he owns the property today with his children Salvatore, Gugliolmo & Cinzia.
Mortilla, called ‘Murtidda’ in Sicilian, is named for the wild Mirto plant. The plant grew near the vineyards and the olive plants in the 1940’s, but it is now extinct in the area.
