Milan, Tuesday, February 24. In the late afternoon, as one entered the Lia Rumma Gallery, it was immediately clear that this would not be an ordinary presentation. The atmosphere vibrated with art and anticipation: we were there to witness the debut of the special edition of Planeta’s Chardonnay dedicated to its thirtieth harvest. A celebratory moment that became narrative, thanks to the presence of Alessio and Vito Planeta and Professor Giuseppe Barbera, ready to guide the audience into a project that intertwines fire, landscape, memory and future.
After its premiere in Palermo, this Milan stop marks the beginning of a journey that will reach London, the United Arab Emirates and Tokyo, bringing with it the idea of a contemporary, deeply rooted Sicily in dialogue with the world.
The “On Fire” Label: the Emoji That Becomes a Symbol of Our Time
To celebrate the thirtieth harvest, Planeta chose to collaborate with Claire Fontaine, an artistic collective that has explored the visual languages of the present for years. The label originates from the work On Fire (2023), in which the flame emoji takes on a double meaning: enthusiasm and approval, certainly, but also the memory of fires, wars and climate change. Claire Fontaine defines it as a “hieroglyph of the present,” capable of conveying both the spiritual and the trivial at the same time.
This ambivalence is reflected in the celebratory bottle, transforming an everyday digital sign into an invitation to awareness. The project also evokes the deep bond of the Planeta family with the agricultural landscapes of Selinunte, where the estate was founded and where viticulture has always been a cultural gesture as well as a productive one.
The Route Through the Selinunte Archaeological Park: A “Long and Magnificent Walk”
The theme of fire also returns to the territory itself, thanks to the creation of the itinerary “A long and magnificent walk” inside the Selinunte Archaeological Park. Curated by Professor Barbera, landscape architect Tiziana Calvo, and with the consultancy of Dr. Manlio Speciale, the path draws on the vision of archaeologist Vincenzo Tusa, who redefined the interpretation of the park.
The route begins at the Case del Viaggiatore and leads to Baglio Florio, the mouth of the Modione River, the Demetra Malophoros complex and the Case Gaggera, before climbing toward Case De Sabato, Sinacore and Titone. Each stop will be enhanced through targeted interventions in the green infrastructure, with drought-resistant native species and essential furnishings made from natural materials. It is a project that looks to the future, fully aware of the climatic challenges awaiting the Mediterranean.
Funding will come from the sale of a limited series of Jeroboams of Chardonnay 2024. As explained by Alessio Planeta, it is a symbolic gesture against the scourge of wildfires that threaten Sicily every year. A way of giving back to the territory what the territory has given to the estate.
An Artistic Dialogue That Continues: Claire Fontaine and Planeta
The collaboration with Claire Fontaine did not begin today. Since 2017, when the collective settled in Sicily, a relationship has taken shape across projects such as Viaggio in Sicilia #8, with the portrait of Ettore Majorana on Etna, and Patriarchy=CO2, part of the Costellazioni d’Arte series in Buonivini. The work On Fire, now featured on the celebratory label, was acquired by Planeta and finds its home in the Studiolo at Ulmo, a place of family memory.
Planeta: An Agricultural Story That Tells the Tale of Contemporary Sicily
Planeta is an agricultural reality spanning seventeen generations and guarding a mosaic of territories: Menfi, Sambuca di Sicilia, Vittoria, Noto, Etna and Capo Milazzo. With 371 hectares of vineyards, 151 of olive groves, and production entirely certified organic, the estate has built a model of sustainability that unites research, landscape stewardship and the valorization of native and heirloom varieties.
Alongside wine, Planeta has developed an outstanding wine tourism offering: from La Foresteria in Menfi, praised by major food guides, to Palazzo Planeta in the heart of Palermo, to the Insula Beach Club and the Casa Panitteri artist’s residence. Culture is an integral part of the project, with initiatives like Viaggio in Sicilia, a nomadic residency that each year brings Italian and international artists to discover the island.
In this thirtieth Chardonnay harvest, everything converges: art, landscape, agricultural memory and the desire to look ahead. A wine that becomes narrative, and a narrative that continues to burn—like a flame that illuminates more than it consumes.
