Planeta 2023 Cometa Fiano Sicilia Menfi DOC 750ml

Fiano is native to Campania, on the Italian mainland, and for decades it was considered strictly a mainland grape — until Planeta began experimenting with it in Sicily in the 1990s, betting that the island's own terroir could coax something genuinely different, and genuinely noble, out of the variety. Cometa is the result of that bet, and it's since become one of the wines widely credited with putting Sicily on the world wine map. Diego Planeta, alongside Giacomo Rallo of Donnafugata and Lucio Tasca d'Almerita, is considered one of the three founding fathers of the "Sicilian wine renaissance" that reshaped the island's reputation over the past few decades — and Cometa remains a genuine flagship of that broader movement.

The 2023 vintage is sourced from two specific Planeta vineyards in the Menfi hills: Dispensa, at 75 meters above sea level, and Gurra, lower at 35 meters, both farmed organically and certified under the SOStain sustainability protocol, on distinctive lime-chalk soils that contribute directly to the wine's marked aromatic intensity. Production begins in stainless steel before the wine matures in a combination of tonneaux and 36-hectoliter Allier oak casks — only about 10% of the total blend actually sees oak, but that modest proportion is enough to add real depth and soft textural richness, setting Cometa apart from more one-dimensional Fiano interpretations elsewhere in Italy. This specific vintage was released in a run of 52,000 bottles.

James Suckling awarded 92 Points, describing "a well-composed, textural and delicious fiano" with "notes of citrons, leaves, almond powder and some white peaches," medium-bodied with "a focused, driven and poised composition," recommending a drinking window from 2024 through 2032. One extended professional assessment called it "a full-bodied and creamy expression of a grape that is otherwise known for crisp and lightly textured wines. Not here. This wine is all about richness, texture and depth... despite the hardships of the vintage, this wine delivers nothing but pleasure." Planeta's own tasting notes describe delicate aromas of chamomile, hay, mango, and pomelo emerging alongside broom flowers and thyme, a deep straw-yellow color with evident green highlights, and a mineral palate carrying vibrant, refreshing, thirst-quenching flavors, closing on a silky texture with a refined aftertaste of ripe apricots, almond blossoms, and basil leaves. This is genuinely ageworthy Sicilian white wine — a unique treasure from the family that helped define what modern Sicilian wine could be.

Origins & Craftsmanship

Planeta is one of Sicily's benchmark wineries, with an agricultural heritage passed down through 17 generations since the 16th century, though the modern winery itself was founded in the 1980s. Diego Planeta is widely credited, alongside Giacomo Rallo of Donnafugata and Lucio Tasca d'Almerita, as one of the three founding fathers of the "Sicilian wine renaissance." Planeta today encompasses six distinct wine estates across five regions of Sicily — Ulmo at Sambuca di Sicilia, Dispensa at Menfi, Dorilli at Vittoria, Buonivini at Noto, Sciara Nuova on Etna, and La Baronia at Capo Milazzo — each cultivated with varieties specifically matched to their local terroir, with production entirely organic across the estate.

Cometa is a single-variety Fiano, a grape native to Campania that Planeta began cultivating in Sicily in the 1990s, recognizing the potential to create a genuinely noble expression distinct from the variety's mainland Italian character. The 2023 vintage is sourced from the Dispensa vineyard (75 meters above sea level) and the Gurra vineyard (35 meters), both within the broader Menfi hills region, on distinctive lime-chalk soils that contribute to the variety's marked aromatic intensity. The wine begins fermentation in stainless steel before maturing in a combination of tonneaux and 36-hectoliter Allier oak casks — only approximately 10% of the total blend sees oak contact, contributing depth and soft textural richness without overwhelming the fruit. Winemaker Patricia Toth oversees production. Bottled at 13.5% ABV, under natural cork, in a 52,000-bottle release for this vintage.

Critics Reviews

James Suckling — 92 Points:
"A well-composed, textural and delicious fiano. It has notes of citrons, leaves, almond powder and some white peaches. Medium-bodied with a focused, driven and poised composition." Drink 2024-2032.

Extended professional tasting note:
"This is one of the celebrated white wines that put Sicily on the world wine map. The organic Planeta 2023 Sicilia Menfi Cometa (made with 100% Fiano) is a full-bodied and creamy expression of a grape that is otherwise known for crisp and lightly textured wines. Not here. This wine is all about richness, texture and depth. It starts off in stainless steel and matures in tonneaux and 36-hectoliter Allier oak casks. The fruit comes from Dispensa at 75 meters above sea level and Gurra at a lower 35 meters in elevation. Despite the hardships of the vintage, this wine delivers nothing but pleasure. It is a 52,000-bottle release."

Planeta official tasting notes:
"Delicate aromas of chamomile, hay, mango, and pomelo emerge from notes of broom flowers and thyme. Deep straw yellow with evident green highlights. The mineral palate features vibrant, refreshing and thirst-quenching flavors. The finish offers a silky texture with a refined aftertaste of ripe apricots, almond blossoms, and basil leaves."

Tasting Profile

Nose
Deep straw yellow with evident green highlights. Delicate chamomile and hay lead, joined by mango and pomelo, framed by broom flowers and thyme. Citrons, almond powder, and white peach add further complexity.

Palate
Medium to full-bodied, textural, and genuinely rich — vibrant, refreshing mineral notes carry throughout, delivering a focused, driven, and poised composition. Creamy texture builds real depth, a direct result of the modest oak contribution from Allier tonneaux.

Finish
Silky and refined, closing with ripe apricot, almond blossom, and basil leaf. Thirst-quenching and genuinely long, confirming Cometa's reputation as one of Sicily's most ageworthy and complete white wines.

Quick Overview

Food Pairings

• Freshly grilled snapper
• Raw or smoked fish carpaccio
• Oysters
• Prawns with saffron
• Grilled seafood generally