Abandoning the city to dedicate herself to agriculture and starting to produce wine on the magical island of Ustica: this is the story of Margherita Longo, an enterprising agronomist who chose to abandon the city to dedicate herself to the family business. Ustica's only wine producer, Margherita inherited her passion from her father Nicola, who founded the Hibiscus farm in the 1980s with the aim of giving voice to a rare territory, expressing its exceptional nature through wine.
Margherita, together with her husband Vito, has picked up her father's baton, leaving her job in Rome to return to Ustica: a ‘craftswoman of the earth’, strongly tied to tradition, who uses organic and non-invasive methods to produce wines of great character and freshness from native vines (Inzolla, Catarratto, Grillo and Nero d'Avola) that reflect the volcanic nature of the soils, the proximity to the sea and the biodiversity of this unique landscape.
Hibiscus carries out the entire production process in its 20 plots of land spread across the 8 km2 of Ustica, with the vineyards located just 20 metres from the sea and surrounded by dry stone walls and prickly pear hedges. In this jewel of nature, in a unique but also impervious territory, Margherita Longo's wine cellar has found its soul, becoming a symbol of authenticity and passion, with its wines that tell of the extraordinary beauty of Sicily, in a sensorial journey through the scents and flavours of this land.
The wines
Zibibbo Grotta dell'Oro
Obtained from Zibibbo grapes vinified by Hibiscus in a dry version that enhances its aromatic characteristics, Grotta dell'Oro encapsulates the liveliness and lightness of southern summers and the fragrances of Sicily, with its notes of citrus, lavender, orange blossom and rose, combined with hints of herbs such as sage and rosemary. The palate is full, fresh, consistent and savoury. The ideal accompaniment for a summer dinner with sushi, vegetable and fish couscous, fried foods and shellfish.
Zibibbo Passito Zhabib
The only zibibbo passito produced on an Italian island other than Pantelleria, it is intense and sunny and represents the essence of the Sicilian winemaking tradition. After being harvested, the grapes are dried in the sun on racks, a traditional method that gives the wine a unique sweetness and complexity. Golden in colour, the nose conveys the fruity aromas of the Muscat grapes, giving pleasant sweet sensations of almonds, dried figs and honey, balanced with pleasant notes of freshness. The perfect pairing for dried fruit pastries, chocolate desserts but also spicy cheeses and Sicilian dishes. Excellent to sip cold on a warm summer evening as a meditation wine.
Onde di Sole
A pure Grillo, aged six months in steel and three months in the bottle, it catches the eye in the glass with its luminous straw yellow colour. Intense hints of old apple and Cantaloupe melon with hints of tangerine peel and thyme emerging in the background capture the nose, while in the mouth it is full-bodied, with an evident freshness and savouriness evoking the sea. To be enjoyed with cheese and vegetarian dishes such as leek soup or chickpea curry, as well as fish dishes such as cod with vegetables, seafood salad, octopus and potatoes.
L'Isola Bianco
A blend of Catarratto and Insolia grapes, L'Isola Bianco authentically embodies the terroir in which it was born, amid volcanic soils and sea breezes. Straw yellow in colour and with excellent luminosity, this wine offers an intriguing bouquet of floral and fruity scents on the nose, with light nuances of Mediterranean maquis and mineral and brackish notes. On the palate it is dry, with a nice acidity and savouriness: drink it with fish dishes such as spaghetti with clams or allo scoglio, risottos, sarde a beccafico and vegetarian recipes.
Isola Rosato
Made from Nero d'Avola and Syrah grapes, this elegant rosé wine with delicate soft pink hues opens on the nose with a broad and fragrant aromatic profile in which notes of Mediterranean red fruits stand out. In the mouth it is fresh and savoury with a good persistence: perfect not only as an aperitif but also with seafood crudités, pizza and shellfish.
