Sonia Gambino – Gustinella Wines

Sonia Gambino is a young winemaker and oenologist from Milan with deep family roots in Maletto, a village on the northwestern slopes of Mount Etna in Sicily. After studying viticulture and oenology and gaining experience in New World wineries, she moved to Marsala in 2020 to work alongside acclaimed natural winemaker Nino Barraco. When the pandemic forced her return to Maletto, Sonia embraced her ancestral land and began reviving local vineyards.

Her project, Gustinella, is named in honor of her grandfather Peppe “Gustinello”, who once owned the village palmento(traditional wine press). Sonia’s journey started when she partnered with an elderly local, Don Vincenzo, agreeing to make wine from his vines in exchange for providing him with a bottle a day—365 liters per year. This spirit of community and reciprocity continues to shape her approach, as she now farms or collaborates on several high-altitude vineyards in Maletto, many planted with rare or heirloom Sicilian grapes.

Sonia follows a natural, low-intervention philosophy, relying on manual farming, spontaneous fermentations, and traditional vessels such as steel, cement, and demijohns. Her wines—ranging from Rosso (Grenache blends) to Bianco (Grecanico Dorato and field blends), Rosato, and experimental co-ferments—express the unique volcanic soils and cool climate of Maletto.

Today, Gustinella produces around 6,000–7,000 bottles annually, celebrated internationally for their freshness, minerality, and authenticity. Sonia Gambino represents a new generation of Sicilian winemakers, blending respect for tradition with a bold, innovative spirit.