Planeta Rosé Wine from Sicilia?

Can Sicily produce a first-rate rosé Wine? Yes!

Patricia Tóth, longtime winemaker at Planeta in Sicily, recently traveled to the United States to present the estate’s newest release: the Rosé Sicilia DOC 2024.

Her visit marked the winery’s first focused U.S. push for the rosé category, a style that has seen rising interest globally. Especially as consumers reach for lighter, fresher wines heading into summer.

Planeta is a leading name in Sicilian wine, and also one of the island’s largest family-owned operations. Since the mid-1990s, the Planeta family has expanded its reach to six estates across Sicily, championing both native and international grapes in distinct terroirs from Menfi to Mount Etna.

Tóth, who has worked with the family since 2005, oversees winemaking across all sites. Her U.S. trip this year placed special attention on the new rosé—both for its quality in the glass and what it represents for Sicily’s evolving identity in premium wine.

The Rosé Sicilia DOC 2024 is produced from Syrah, Nero d’Avola, and a touch of Sauvignon Blanc, grown at the Planeta estate in Menfi. The site, located just 6 kilometers from the coast, benefits from constant airflow that helps regulate vineyard temperatures and allows for healthy organic farming. Sicily’s dry climate also plays a natural role in reducing disease pressure in the vines.

Planeta has made a strong commitment to sustainability. They are one of the only fully certified organic wineries of their size on the island. All of their farming is carried out using organic practices, including composting, targeted use of sulfur and copper, and mechanical pruning of more than 150 hectares of olive trees. In its latest step toward reducing environmental impact, Planeta has shifted this year to a lighter bottle—just 390 grams made from 95% recycled Sicilian glass.

The winery grows a wide range of crops beyond grapes, including wheat, chickpeas, and almonds. Many of these ingredients are used in the restaurants and hotels Planeta operates as part of their growing wine tourism and hospitality business. These efforts form part of an integrated agricultural model the family has been developing for more than 20 years.

Tóth’s visit to the U.S. with the rosé signals not just interest in the new vintage, but confidence in a broader message from Sicily: the region can produce fresh, balanced, precise wines—including rosés—that meet the expectations of global consumers and sommeliers alike.