After several years of working as an advertising art director, Manlio opened up the first natural wine bar and restaurant in the city of Pavia, Lombardia, called "Enoteca Infernot" in 2011. Originally from Sicily, during his frequent travels to the island he became good friends with Marsala winemaker Antonino Barraco, who helped him find a beautiful vineyard of Grillo, from which his singular wine is produced.
Grillo grape variety is believed to be a natural crossing of Zibibbo and Catarratto, and was planted all over Marsala and the entire Trapani province before the 20th century.
The vineyard tended by Manlio is located in Campobello di Mazara, south of Marsala in the southwest corner of Sicily. This one hectare of young vines is planted on terra rossa, red soil typical of this area, over limestone bedrock. Manlio employs organic and biodynamic principles in the vineyards and practices low intervention in the cellar: manual pressing and no fining, temperature control or sulphur additions.
