The Pupillo Farm was founded in 1909 on the ancient fief of Targia, a site rich of Greek, Roman, Arab and Norman remnants. This fertile soil has always produced tasty fruits and vegetables, becoming famous over the centuries for wines of great quality. Nino Pupillo has devoted more than twenty years of his life to preserve the vineyards of his ancestors.

His mission to cultivate and revitalize the indigenous moscato grape varietal is a labor of love that he has now passed on to his children. 110 years after acquiring this beautiful estate, Carmela and Sebastiano are leading the company with roots deeply set in the family tradition, yet trying to be innovative and sustainable.

The Pupillo estate is located near the Megara Hyblaea, one of the first Greek colonies in Sicily built along the Ionian Sea, where there are remnants of the Euryalus fortress dating back to the 5th century BC. The land stretches over 345 acres and the soil is rich in limestone and volcanic rocks.

Moscato, Catarratto, Nero d’Avola and Cabernet Sauvignon vines thrive in several plots, each with its own character. This green oasis descend toward the nearby coast, constantly caressed by the sea breeze and irrigated by clear waters of the ancient Val d’Anapo natural springs.

Pupillo Wines’ company history has its roots in the pivotal moment when Antonino Pupillo and his wife Maria Ciancico acquired the Targia feud from the Arezzo della Targia barons, during the first decade of the 20th century. This young couple was indeed a noble one, Antonino being the son of Eloisa Barresi, Baronessa di Canseria, while Maria was the daughter of Bianca Scudero dei Baroni di Villanova. Antonino was an enterprising lawyer and an archaeology scholar but it was his son Sebastiano to begin to work seriously in the agricultural company, opening the way for many current companies in this area. It was probably his tireless passion for innovation to push the youngest of his children, Nino, to ask himself what could still be modernized in the company. The answer came soon: wine!

Nino graduated in agricultural sciences in the 70s, being one of the first of his family to understand the utmost importance of good practices in agriculture, notably regarding biodiversity, organic farming and regular monitoring of soil and groundwater. He was also the first winegrower in his province to undertake a serious project for the recovery of the Siracusa DOC label, about to be deleted due to lack of producers. In 2011 the Siracusa designation was updated to include indigenous grapes like the red Nero d’Avola. Carmela, on the left with Nino pictured during her training in the vineyards, embodies the 4th Pupillo generation living and working in Targia. Supported by her brother Sebastiano and by a talented team of professionals, she must now face the great challenge of reimagining the Targia for the next generation.