Florio Concept Winery, tourism and more
Marsala – Trapani
50.000 in 2015 for the historic Florio Winery in Marsala. The number of visitors choosing to enjoy the Florio experience was gratifyingly high and a continuing increase over previous years proof of the great interest in the innovative propositions put forward by the Duca di Salaparuta Group.
At Florio, the tasting experience begins in the state of the art Donna Franca Tasting room and ends in the Wine Shop, where more than 48 thousand bottles of Florio, Duca di Salaparuta and Corvo wines were bought in 2015, with sales totalling over 500 thousand Euro. Wines suited to every occasion, as suggested in the booklet presented to every guest and containing food pairing and tasting recommendations, from the most classic to the unexpected.
Guided tours of the Winery and Wine Shop are not the only activities that take place at Florio Winery. An important part of the Hospitality Team’s work is organizing events of every kind (a total of 126 in 2015, which generated almost 400 thousand Euro in income): corporate conventions, cultural events, private parties or events open to the public, and weddings. The Florio Winery’s evocative multifunctional spaces, such as the elegant barrel cellars, the magnificent Terrazza and the cutting edge 4D Cinema Hall are ideal settings for the numerous types of events that enliven it all year round and make it one of the major tourist attractions for wine lovers and others too.
Of the 36 million Euro invested in the wineries and production plant between 2001 and 2015, 13 million were used for renovation of the Florio Winery and the introduction of innovative ideas.
The investment plan included the following works:
• Complete restoration of almost all the historic Winery’s buildings, including renovation of the original tufa stone floor.
• Modernization of various systems and equipment – from bottling lines to steel tanks and wooden barrels.
• Creation of the state of the art “Donna Franca Florio” Tasting Room, completed in 2011.
• Building the new Florio Wine Shop inside the Winery, opened to the public in 2012.
• Creation of the enchanting Florio Terrazza, completed at the beginning of 2015.
• Development of a cutting edge 4D Cinema Hall, operational since September 2015.
The Florio Concept Winery was the result of a desire to express a precise identity in a consistent, univocal way, communicated with style and elegance, but also to lead visitors on a unique adventure where all the elements harmonize to create an unexpected, exclusive world. The myriad sensations experienced by visitors to the Concept Winery are induced by the architecture itself, by over a century of history, the design of the spaces and the way in which all the senses are stimulated. The idea behind the Concept Winery is to give visitors a complete, unforgettable experience, and lead them on a journey of discovery of a world of magical atmospheres, wellbeing for the senses, and style. An unmistakable style that encapsulates state of the art technology and modernity, excellence and uniqueness, knowledge and culture. Florio so becomes an icon of innovation blended with tradition, since in creating the Concept Winery it has brought together design, architecture, lights, sounds, scents and products in a unique, visionary whole.
Built in tufo stone by Vincenzo Florio in 1832, the Florio cellars in Marsala reflect the typically anglo-saxon style of that me, with wide arched windows and compressed tufo powder flooring. The central building, covering an area of 44,000 square metres, represents the heart of the production of Marsala: in the past, ships of the Florio sailing company set o from here loaded with the precious nectar and it is here today that the world’s most famous Marsala wine is produced. The 6,000 square metres of the production cellars host the production processes of the Marsala, which is then refined in the historic barrels jealously guarded in the 7,400 square metres of the refining department. These historical buildings surprise the visitor with their beauty: 165 metres in length for each aisle with no less than 104 arches, under which are lines of 1,400 kegs and 600 or so casks and vats of varying sizes.
The Donna Franca Florio Tasting Room is the result of a new concept of the Cellar space and a different, more evolved view of tasting that goes beyond a moment of pleasure to become a
fascinating, theatrical experience involving all the senses and simulating them with colours, sounds and scents. Carved out of one of the Florio Winery’s tufa stone aisles, the Dona Franca
Florio Room is approximately 300 square metres and its perimeter is delineated by a row of durmast barrels. The tasting room’s decor has been studied to enhance the winery’s clean open spaces; a single 14 meter long durmast table sits in the centre of the room and hosts the tasting activities enhanced by a masterful play of lights and shadows that match the rhythm of the images projected on the large viewing screen. The tasting table rests on the tuff flooring and is minimally decorated with several design pieces and lit by a number of glazed steel objects suspended above it, however, the design elements don’t detract from the warmth of the durmast the table is made of, the same wood used to create the barrels used to age Florio
wines. A Room which goes beyond and reinvents the traditional space devoted to Winery tastings: a space created to offer visitors a very special experience through the scents and flavours of Florio, Duca di Salaparuta and Corvo wines coupled with surprising performances not usually found in the wine world, created by a mix of sounds, colours and images that form
the backdrop to the tasting, and of course the charm and fascination evoked by a historic Winery such as Florio.
At the end of the Winery tour, guests are invited to take part in an unexpected experience that will enable them to discover all the versatility and the myriad facets of Duca di Salaparuta, Florio and Corvo wines, thanks also to original, inspired pairings. A world of choice suited to every moment of the day and to enjoy on all kinds of occasions, to amaze and be amazed by. Products with a modern personality, great appeal and strong ties to their area of origin.
The new Wine Shop is a state of the art space, unrivalled in Italy, that contains all the Duca di Salaparuta, Corvo and Florio wines, as well as a selection of the finest Sicilian crafts and traditional products. Visitors’ will be captivated by emotions and sensations that come not only from the variety of products on display, but also from the architecture and decor of the Wine Shop itself, situated (like the Donna Franca Florio Tasting Room) in one of the Cellar’s sides naves.
“When I was asked to design the new Florio Wine Shop – says architect Franco Marabelli – I was intrigued by the idea of creating a space that was not just somewhere to buy things, but alive and welcoming. A place where lovers of wine, but also art and architecture, would enjoy spending time in an environment that preserves the Cellar’s original structure intact. In designing the Wine Shop, I took inspiration from Sicily’s colours and traditions: a red background, with projecting elements, featuring a mosaic depicting the “Folletto”, from one of Florio’s most famous posters, and a black floor, like the lava of the volcano where Duca di
Salaparuta grows Pinot Noir and Nerello Mascalese on the slopes. The transparent material used to display the bottles makes them seem as if they are suspended in the air, leaving the surrounding space free and open. The main door in perforated Cor-Ten filters and softens the blinding sunlight, and outside, a row of Cor-Ten pillars supports a pergola covered with a flourishing grape vine. This Wine Shop was a stimulating challenge, a new way to combine history, innovation and love for the gifts of this rugged, generous land.” The Wine Shop welcomes visitors at the end of a journey that begins with a tour of the Cellars, where Florio’s over one hundred years of history is tangible, followed by a multi-sensory wine tasting and ends in this space, designed and created to express the Duca di Salaparuta Group’s elegant, eclectic and fascinating style. Wines are presented here in an unusual way, not according to type of product but by the ideal occasion for consumption. Each detail of the Florio Wine Shop, the lighting, the decor, the ambient music, the scents, has been carefully studied to envelop visitors in a surprising world and guide them in the discovery of previously unknown sensations. A place where time seems to stand still, a vast and luminous space to unhurriedly browse the wines and pieces of art on display, and continue to enjoy an extraordinary experience.
In 2014, the Florio Concept Winery was enhanced by a new, evocative element, the Florio Terrace. A modern, elegant area of tranquillity overlooking the sea. A place to enjoy the light, wind and magnificent view while sipping Duca di Salaparuta, Corvo and Florio wines. Two consecutive terraces, where the essential, refined furnishings blend unobtrusively with the splendid natural setting, leaving the magical spirit of the Florio Winery undisturbed. A perfect location for organizing tastings, events or the most roman c of evenings for two, bathed in the light of a magical sunset. The design of the Terrace was conceived taking two spaces into consideration: the rooms in entrance on the ground floor and the actual Terrace on the first floor. Visitors are welcomed in the entrance area by the spectacular effect given by suspended black and white panels inscribed with the words “Terrazza Florio”. Once past the entrance, visitors come to an area dominated by materials that are basic but full of personality. Here the floor is in plain cement, and the reinforced concrete walls and pillars also have a rough finish, exposed and scraped, with old cracks le showing, which gives a modern feel to the area. Going up to the first floor and accompanied by music all the way, visitors discover the surprising sea-view terrace, which measures about 500 square metres. Here, drenched in sunlight and the smell of the sea, various size gazebos furnished with all-white large sofas, armchairs and tables are arranged here and there to create different settings and ensure private spaces for guests who want to enjoy Duca di Salaparuta wines with friends. The Terrace floor consists of greenwood decking, a material that looks like wood but which can expand and is not ruined by contact with the salty sea air. Finally, the lighting system has been designed to create changing atmospheres to suit different occasions. Everything on the Florio Terrance has been designed to give the best possible welcome to our guests, offering them the height of comfort and glamour, and giving them the unique experience of enjoying one of the most fascinating corners of the world.
In 2015 Florio Concept Winery was enhanced by a new, unexpected element: a 4D cinema. From September, guests visiting the historic Florio Winery can experience the wonder and multisensory involvement offered by a modern 4D cinema, which becomes the first step into the eclectic, state of the art world of Duca di Salaparuta, Corvo and Florio. An amusing cartoon will take visitors on an incredible, spectacular journey that recounts the early history of wine and the origins of the Duca di Salaparuta Group, using an innovative cinematographic technique that combines a 3D film with “real” special effects. Unpredictable, extremely realistic special effects in synchronization with the video make the audience participants in the story. Visitors will sail on rough seas, feel the light breeze of the vineyards on their faces and tremble with the turbulent Volcano as they learn about the company’s fascinating history and all the innovative technologies used by Duca di Salaparuta to ensure the quality of its wines is consistently optimal. An innate propensity for modernity and a world that harmoniously combines a great tradition with a decidedly irreverent, revolutionary soul – this is the spirit with which Duca di Salaparuta welcomed 4D cinema to the Florio Winery. An incredible, fun-filled journey that is just the introduction to a guided tour of the over one hundred years old cellars. The Duca di Salaparuta world is also one of fun, since wine is first and foremost a product that gives joy to those tasting it, a moment of pleasure to savour in a relaxed and relaxing way. Visitors to our Winery enter a world typified not only by unforgettable scents and flavours, but also by constant striving to find previously unexplored, outside-the-box ways of offering exciting, new experiences!
Cantine Florio
www.duca.it
