- BY ISSIMO
- December 11, 2024
Planeta is one of those names that always draws approving nods from across the wine industry. One of Sicily’s – and Italy’s – main actors within the viticulture sector, the family-run winery has been in the business for generations, though it began selling wines under the Planeta label only in 1995. Ever since then, it’s grown and expanded, dipping into hospitality with a handful of boutique wine resorts and properties, and promoting wine tourism through its cellars – one of the first ventures to do so on the island.
Behind it all is the innovative input of cousins Alessio and Francesca Planeta, who run the company today. With a shared vision yet very distinct roles – Alessio as CEO, Francesca as President of the hospitality-focused Planeta Estate – the pair has striven to put forward products and projects that show a modern side of Sicily, propelling what many have hailed as the Reinassance of Sicilian wine.
Below, the wine producer shares more on her work – and why Planeta is a proud Sicilian success story.
Did you always know you would work for your family company? How did you start?
Planeta released its first bottles on the market in 1995, the year of our first harvest, though my father had established the winery a few years prior. It linked two generations, bringing together his visions and the can-do attitude of my cousin and I. Becoming involved in it felt almost like an organic decision at the time. I wanted to give my input to the project as it launched, share my ideas, and push forward what my dad had started. I worked on the graphics for the company first, then began taking over the marketing. We kicked off with 120,000 bottles and grew from there, both within Sicily with other wineries and vineyards across the island, and in our aspirations.
Today, Planeta produces some 2 million bottles a year. What do you think has remained the same from the beginning?
Many things, but I’d put our artisanal approach to wine first. Every wine has its own cellar and its own vineyards, and that has been the case from day one. It’s one of our strongest suits.
You look after the hospitality arm of Planeta, Planeta Estate. What made you branch into it?
The fact that there wasn’t anything like it when we started! Sicily has all these amazing wines, yet for a long time they weren’t really widely known. We thought it would only make sense to create something that would allow more people to come taste our viticultural tradition. We began by opening the doors to our cellars for wine tastings, then, in 2009, inaugurated our first boutique resort, La Foresteria, which had – still does – a strong focus on wine through ad-hoc experiences and cellar visits. More ventures have followed since – Palazzo Planeta in Palermo, Casa Panitteri in Sambuca, a few scattered houses in Noto, the Beach Club Insula last year and the Country House in summer 2024, both of which are not far from La Foresteria. Giving visitors the opportunity to see Sicily under a different light is one of the things that makes me proudest.
Do you have a favourite wine estate within the Planeta universe? And a favourite wine?
Every place and every vineyard is different and tremendously fascinating, so it’s really hard to play favourites. Same for our wines, although our Nero D’Avola, called Santa Cecilia, does hold a special place in my heart, as it was maybe one of our most challenging wines to sell to begin with. A dark horse.
“Giving visitors the opportunity to see Sicily under a different light is one of the things that makes me proudest.”
What do you think makes a wine stand out?
The people behind it. I think passion, love and dedication really show in the work we do. Our people have certainly been the key to Planeta’s success.
You were awarded the “Compasso d’Oro alla Carriera” earlier this year – a recognition assigned by ADI (the Assocation for Industrial Design) for enhancing the quality of Italian design. Did you expect it at all, and what does it mean to you?
I didn’t expect it, no! The Compasso d’Oro is usually given to architects and designers, so I was surprised to hear I was its recipient. I was given it for my work in food design for Planeta, and it’s been an immense honour to be recognised for that.
What role does Sicily play in your professional and everyday life?
Sicily is at the heart of everything we do. We’re often asked ‘why don’t you take your expertise elsewhere, why don’t you branch out in other parts of Italy?’
But we couldn’t. Sicily is our land, and I have the deepest connection to it. I take it with me wherever I go – quite literally, I have a pendant shaped like it – and I couldn’t imagine doing what I do anywhere else.
