Vineyards Magazine

Where once stood the vineyard of Sant’Erasmo, a prestigious estate on the outskirts of Palermo, today there is a space that tells the story of tradition and transformation, a guardian of the past and a workshop of the future, symbol of a concept of wine-growing that has its roots in history and its sights set on the future. Within the Botanical Garden of the University of Palermo lies the ‘Diego Planeta’ Vigna del Gallo, a small but invaluable area of urban biodiversity that reflects the richness, tenacity and vision of contemporary Sicilian wine production.
In 2025, seven years after its inauguration, Vigna del Gallo is increasingly asserting itself as an international tourist destination, attracting travellers, wine tourists, and scholars from all over the world. Nestled among the rarest botanical collections and historic avenues of the Garden, this small vineyard, covering an area of 200 square metres, is a bridge between nature, culture and science, between the past and the future.

“La Vigna del Gallo embodies the essence of contemporary Sicilian wine growing: a place where roots meet innovation, where the land interacts with knowledge. It is much more than an urban vineyard: it is a shared project that unites institutions, communities and research to express Sicilian identity in an authentic, contemporary way that is open to everyone,‘ says Camillo Pugliesi, Director of the Consortium for the Protection of Sicilian DOC Wines. ’It is unimaginable to consider the future of Sicilian wine without preserving its memory. Each biotype present in the vineyard is a story that we risked losing: an authentic expression of our history and our territory. In this sense, La Vigna del Gallo is a living, breathing guardian of our identity, a natural archive that reveals what binds us profoundly to the land.”

The vineyard covers approximately 200 square metres and is home to 95 biotypes of native and traditional grape varieties, including Grillo, Nero d’Avola, Frappato, Perricone, Catarratto, Inzolia, Prunella, Muscaredda, Corinto bianco, Cutrera, Zuccaratu and Visparola. This is a genetic and cultural heritage of inestimable value, assembled thanks to the synergy among the Consorzio di Tutela Vini Sicilia DOC (Consortium for the Protection of Sicilian DOC Wines), which has always been committed to protecting the island’s vines and promoting sustainable and responsible wine growing, the Museum System of the University of Palermo, and the Department of Agricultural, Food and Forestry Sciences (SAAF).

Besides its scientific and conservation role, over the years the Vigna del Gallo has taken on an increasingly important role from a cultural and tourist point of view, becoming part of the tours of the Botanical Garden of Palermo, one of Italy’s most important academic institutions, founded in 1789 and now home to over five thousand plant species from every continent. Therefore, La Vigna del Gallo is not just a scientific experiment or a botanical garden: it is an experience to be savoured. With guided tours, tasting sessions, workshops for schools and tourists, and storytelling sessions nestled in green surroundings, this place has transformed itself into a model of slow and conscious hospitality, perfectly in line with contemporary cultural tourism.
Its international value has also been acknowledged by the Urban Vineyard Association (U.V.A.), an international network that connects urban wine-growing experiences in various cities, including Paris, Milan, Vienna, Turin and Adelaide, promoting projects aimed at enhancing the urban agricultural landscape, protecting biodiversity and raising environmental awareness.
From the heart of Palermo, La Vigna del Gallo is sending out a powerful message: Sicily is a genuine wine-producing continent, extraordinarily rich in biodiversity, knowledge, and visions to share with the world. This message is taking shape through a project that brings together nature, research, and community in a collective, contemporary tale.