Menfi rose
in the valley of River Belice, a fertile land that was already
inhabited and cultivated by the Sicani, the Greek colonizers
of Selinunte, the Romans, Arabs, the Normans and Emperor Frederick
II of Swabia, who had a powerful manor-house built right in
the Arabic settlement of Burgiomilluso, next to Menfi, in
1239. Today Menfi is a predominantly agricultural town whose
economy is based on grape cultivation. This is a continuum
of rural landscape that stretches over a 400-meter high plateau
up to the sea. There is an ancient relationship between the
production of wine and the history of Menfi: While narrating
about the ancient city of Inycon - the first urban settlement
in the area as far back as Graecia Magna, Stephen of Byzantium,
emphasized the excellent quality of its wines.
The sandy beach spreads through the entire the length of the
gulf in a relaxing ambience characterized by sparsely populated
settlements. The blue flag awarded to the Menfi Sea by Fee
- the European Foundation for Environmental Education is a
symbol of its very healthy coastal seawaters, as well as the
satisfactory environmental condition of the area. A coastal
ambience is entered amidst little inlets and sandy dunes,
where dunes modelled by the African wind trail each other,
forming rich Mediterranean vegetation.
The main Church and baronial palace adorned with the antique
tower of the castle built by Frederick II gravitate at the
centre of the ancient…. settlement, which the Aragona Tagliavia
Pignatelli family wanted. Many patrician houses and holiday
villas grew in the area between the end of 1880 and the beginning
of 1900,retaining the ancient farms or replacing them with
new blocks of houses beautified by porches and balconies,
covered with tiled roofs and decorated with ceramic coatings.
Grape cultivation is the major productive sector. In towns
like Menfi, Santa Margherita, Montevago e Sambuca, that jointly
form the district of Sican lands, so called because they were
inhabited by the Sicans, a Greek people, in the past, grape
cultivation is carried out in about 68 hectares. 
The varied landscape, which was until a few decades ago, made
up of vineyards, like Cataratto, Trebbiano, Inzolia, Grillo,
Nerello Mascalese, Sangiovese, underwent radical renovation,
thanks to the promotion of some local varieties such as Grecanico
and Avola Black and the introduction of international vines
like Chardonnay, Merlot, Syrah, and Cabernet Sauvignon. Recently
DCO Menfi, Sambuca of Sicily and Santa Margherita Belice were
honoured. |
