Officina del Vento: the gentle and saline Grillo signed by three Masters of Wine

(UG) There’s a spot in western Sicily where wine is born almost by osmosis with salt. It’s the Stagnone di Marsala, a nature reserve carved by salt marshes, where in 2022 three Italian Masters of Wine—Gabriele Gorelli, Andrea Lonardi, and Pietro Russo —bought a hectare of vineyard and built upon it, even before creating a label. From that idea, Salt West was born, the manifesto-project that brings together three interpretations of the local Grillo (their Officina del Vento, the Vignarara di Intorcia Heritage, the Firma del Tempo di Cantine Fina), all bearing the Radici nel mare seal. It’s no coincidence that the chosen name is so explicit: the vines, some over fifty years old, are rooted in a limestone plateau with sandy-clay soils, surrounded on three sides by salt marshes. No herbicides, no insecticides, direct management by the three partners—from pruning to harvesting, from winemaking to bottling. Critic Robert Camuto (Wine Spectator) called the initiative a work of “viticultural resistance and territorial redemption for the Stagnone area of ​​Marsala.” The manifesto-project was called “Salt West,” with the subtitle “Roots of the Sea.”

Not a commercial project in the strict sense, say the three MWs, but an act of restitution with profound cultural significance: restoring dignity to a land that for generations produced only the alcohol base for Marsala, and which today risks abandonment. The 2023 vintage was the zero, officially presented in Bologna in March 2025 at the Vino&Design portfolio tasting—a debut of just 4,100 bottles, all numbered, all destined to become a small piece of Stagnone’s winemaking archaeology. The 2024 vintage was unofficially tasted last April at Vinitaly. The 2025 vintage is currently aging in the cellar.

Grillo Wind Workshop 2023

I tasted this white wine which I consider one of the best examples of Grillo produced in Sicily in recent years. A wine that builds on the virtuous legacy laid down for several years by Tasca d’Almerita’s Grillo Mozia. In the glass, Officina del Vento is a luminous straw yellow, with greenish highlights that immediately betray its youth and proximity to the sea. The nose opens with cedar and Sicilian citrus, then becomes more unexpected: a subtle yet distinct hint of hydrocarbon, almost flirting with a great Rhine Riesling. This isn’t surprising, given the roots that grow on a salt-laced limestone plateau, a condition that in other terroirs produces precisely this type of minerality. Iodine, peach, and a saline Mediterranean touch follow, followed by hints of tropical fruit and Williams pear, warming the bouquet. On the palate, the savory character is undisputed: it enters forcefully and almost immediately transforms into a truly saline sensation, supported by a trail of freshness that massages the palate without ever overpowering it—a rounded, smooth sip, undoubtedly owing something to the brief oak aging involved in the winemaking process. The finish is just right, not overly long, and the citrus finish closes with the opening on the nose.

Grillo Wind Workshop 2024

It presents a straw yellow color with evident greenish highlights. It gradually unfolds with aromas of yellow-fleshed fruit, Sicilian citrus, and Mediterranean herbs, accompanied by evident salty and mineral nuances. The palate is taut, dynamic, clear, well-defined, deep, and characterized by a distinct and compelling savory flavor. It has a balanced structure with a long, clean, and balanced finish. A wine that doesn’t shout, but insists—just like the wind that gives it its name.

In both vintages the production was very limited (just over 4,000 bottles).

Pairings: the different options with food

The salty sea air and citrusy finish naturally evoke raw seafood: sea urchins, oysters, tuna tartare finished with lemon or citron zest, where the wine provides a saline counterpoint without overpowering. It also pairs well with chicken with Mediterranean herbs or shrimp tempura flavored with fried sage. Try it with more rounded dishes: Trapani-style fish couscous—a signature dish of that same coast—or seafood risotto with a hint of ginger, capable of interacting with the smoothness of the sip without betraying its savory backbone. For those who enjoy cross-fertilization, the almost “hydrocarbon” component of the nose also holds up well to unusual pairings for a Sicilian white: a fresh goat’s cheese with herbs, or even fatty fish sushi, where the savory Grillo cleanses the palate like a good dry Riesling. Serve chilled, between 8 and 10°C, in a not too narrow glass.

TECHNICAL DATA SHEET