# Cometa (2023)

- **Producer:** Planeta
- **Colour:** white
- **Type:** still
- **Grapes:** Fiano
- **Region:** Sicilia, Italy
- **Style:** Classic
- **Alcohol:** 13.5%
- **Average price:** €32
- **Vegan:** Yes
- **Contains sulphites:** Yes
- **When to drink:** Now or Later
- **Serving temperature:** 10–12 °C
- **Aromas & flavours:** peach, apricot, blossom, grapefruit, lime, melon, mint, ginger, butter, cream, honey, hazelnut, dried apricot

## About this wine

Planeta's Cometa is a landmark white wine from Sicily, first released in the 2000 vintage. It represents a highly successful experiment to express the noble southern Italian grape variety, Fiano, in the unique coastal terroir of Menfi. Grown on the chalky soils of the Gurra and Dispensa vineyards, this wine helped redefine Sicily's reputation for world-class white wines, proving that the island could produce whites of immense complexity, structure, and longevity.

## Interesting facts

- Cometa was created in 2000 to prove that Sicily could produce world-class, age-worthy white wines from southern Italian grapes.
- The Fiano grapes for Cometa are grown in the Gurra and Dispensa vineyards, characterized by highly calcareous clay soils.
- Despite its rich texture and complexity, Cometa is fermented and aged entirely in stainless steel, avoiding any oak contact.

## Food pairing

Cometa's vibrant acidity, rich texture, and intense aromatic profile make it an exceptional match for structured seafood dishes, poultry, and traditional Sicilian cuisine. The wine's weight cuts through rich textures like olive oil and butter, while its herbal and citrus notes complement fresh herbs, fennel, and citrus-based sauces.

## Wine making process

The Fiano grapes are hand-harvested and gently pressed before undergoing fermentation entirely in stainless steel tanks at a controlled temperature of 15°C to preserve the primary aromatics. The wine is then aged on its fine lees for several months with regular battonage to build texture, weight, and complexity before bottling. No oak is used in the process, ensuring a pure expression of the grape and terroir.