Just a short drive from Syracuse, in the countryside of Melilli, Montecarrubo welcomes guests from around the world for private wine tastings and estate visits by appointment.
A visit to Montecarrubo is not simply a tasting. It is a journey through the vineyards, the landscape and the stories behind the wines — from more than fifty years of experience in wine to the distinctive volcanic and marine soils of south-eastern Sicily.
Visits can be hosted in Italian, English, Spanish, Danish and French.
A private wine tasting near Syracuse
For travellers looking for a private wine tasting near Syracuse, Montecarrubo offers an intimate alternative to a traditional tasting room experience. Each visit begins with the estate itself.
Guests are welcomed into the landscape of south-eastern Sicily, where vineyards, more than 1,300 olive trees, Mediterranean vegetation and fields of lavender form part of a certified organic ecosystem overlooking the Ionian Sea. From here, the visit unfolds through the story of Montecarrubo: its vineyards, its soils, its wines and the people behind them.
Rather than following a fixed format, every tasting is a moment of conversation and discovery.
Walking through the estate
Montecarrubo lies on the remains of an ancient extinct submarine volcano, in an area shaped by both volcanic and marine origins.
Walking through the estate reveals a complex landscape of volcanic rock, limestone and fossilised marine sediments.
At the heart of the property are Vigna Grande and Vignolo, two single-vineyard Syrah sites planted in 2010 from massal selections originating in Hermitage in the Rhône Valley. Although planted with the same grape, the two vineyards have very different soils.
Vigna Grande grows on volcanic soil over fragmented basalt, while Vignolo combines volcanic material with fossilised marine sediments and sand. During a visit, these differences become part of the story of the wines themselves.
Peter and Susan Vinding-Diers in the cellar.
Stories from a life in wine
Montecarrubo was founded in 2005 by winegrower and winemaker Peter Vinding-Diers and his wife Susanne.
Peter’s life in wine has taken him across some of the world’s most compelling wine regions, from South Africa and Bordeaux to Tokaj, Spain and South America.
At Montecarrubo, that international experience found its most personal expression.
A visit to the estate is therefore also an opportunity to hear the stories, encounters and experiences accumulated over more than fifty years in wine — and to understand how they have shaped the philosophy of Montecarrubo today.
Wine here is approached through observation, experience and a deep relationship with the land rather than through a predetermined formula.
Discovering Montecarrubo’s wines
The tasting brings the visit together around a selection of Montecarrubo wines.
Syrah plays a central role, particularly through the single-vineyard wines Vigna Grande and Vignolo, but the estate also produces Grillo and a limited selection of other wines.
The wines are made from organically farmed grapes, fermented with indigenous yeasts and handled with a restrained approach in the cellar.
During the tasting, guests can explore the differences between vineyards, grape varieties and vintages, while discovering how soil, position and season are reflected in each wine.
The experience is designed to be conversational rather than formal — a chance to taste, ask questions and spend time understanding the wines in the place where they are made.
Welcoming guests from around the world
Over the years, Montecarrubo has welcomed visitors from many different countries, each bringing their own curiosity and relationship with wine.
Private visits can be hosted in Italian, English, Spanish, Danish and French, allowing guests to experience the estate and its wines in the language they feel most comfortable speaking.
Whether you are deeply interested in wine or simply curious to discover a small organic wine estate in Sicily, the visit is intended to be personal, relaxed and unhurried.
Plan your visit
Montecarrubo is located in Melilli, near Syracuse, in south-eastern Sicily.
Private wine tastings and estate visits are available by prior appointment only, in the morning between 11:30 am and 1:30 pm.
Tastings are €50 per person, and small groups can also be considered on request.
For visitors staying in Syracuse, Ortigia or elsewhere in south-eastern Sicily, Montecarrubo offers the opportunity to step away from the city for a few hours and discover a working organic wine estate through its vineyards, stories and wines.
To arrange your visit, please contact Montecarrubo directly through our Contact page.