From Dattilo’s Vineyards to Trapani’s Urban Cellar: A Sicilian Evening with Vito Oddo
During our recent trip to western Sicily, the Lynrace team spent an evening with winemaker Vito Oddo at his urban winery in Trapani.
What followed was far more than a wine tasting.
Before arriving at the winery, Vito drove us out into the countryside to one of his newest vineyards in Dattilo. Beneath the intense Sicilian sun, rows of Vermentino and Merlot stretched across the landscape, each vine carefully irrigated from a well that helps sustain the vineyard through long periods without rainfall. Here, amongst the vines themselves, Vito began telling the story of his wines and his love for winemaking.
It was an important introduction because everything that followed could be traced back to this landscape.
Whilst the Dattilo vineyard is relatively young, Vito also farms older vines in nearby Fulgatore, some of which are now more than thirty years old. Together, these vineyards provide the fruit for a small production that remains firmly rooted in the traditions and conditions of western Sicily.
Dattilo Vineyard
Image Credit: Lynrace 2026
Standing amongst the vines, it became clear that Vito is not interested in creating wines that conform to market expectations. His focus is on expressing a place, a climate and a way of life.
Back in Trapani, we arrived at what Vito describes as the first urban winery in the municipality. Established in 2018 within what was once his family’s garage, the winery represents an unusual approach to wine production. Rather than separating vineyard and city, Vito has brought winemaking into the urban fabric of Trapani itself.
The building feels exactly as it should. Working tanks stand alongside family photographs. Barrels occupy the same space as tools, equipment and a beautifully preserved 1970s Fiat sports car belonging to Vito’s father. Nothing appears curated or staged. Instead, it feels like a place shaped by work, family and time.
The tasting began with Vito’s award-winning Vermentino served alongside homemade fried pizza topped with tomato sauce and Parmesan. Fresh, mineral and expressive, the wine reflected the coastal landscape surrounding Trapani whilst demonstrating the balance and restraint that characterises Vito’s approach.
As enjoyable as the Vermentino was, it was Re Siculo that captured the attention of the group.
Glowing amber in the glass, the wine immediately invites assumptions. Yet as Vito explained with obvious pride, appearances can be misleading.
“The colour tells one story. The tradition tells another.”
Although amber in appearance, Re Siculo remains officially classified as a white wine. Its character comes not from pursuing modern orange wine trends, but from embracing historic Sicilian methods of producing white wines shaped by oxidation and time.
What made the conversation particularly engaging was Vito’s description of himself as an artisan winemaker. The wine is ready when it is ready, not when a customer wants it.
That philosophy extends beyond the cellar. Each bottle of Re Siculo is individually numbered by hand by Vito’s father. The current release consists of just 1,300 bottles produced from the November 2024 harvest. Nearly two years later, those bottles are only now reaching the market, a reflection of a process governed by patience rather than commercial urgency.
Papà Vito
Image Credit: Lynrace 2026
Served alongside a simple potato and egg frittata prepared by Vito’s mother, the wine demonstrated how complexity often emerges from restraint rather than intervention.
The final pairing of the evening brought together Vito’s Merlot and homemade fennel sausages with potatoes. It was one of those combinations that seemed entirely natural. The wine’s subtle liquorice notes and minerality complemented the fennel beautifully whilst providing enough structure to balance the rich texture of the pork.
As the evening progressed, the distinction between tasting and family gathering began to disappear. Vito’s parents moved comfortably between kitchen and tasting room, preparing food, pouring wine and sharing stories. Their presence transformed the evening from a professional tasting into something far more personal.
Later, Vito introduced us to perpetuo drawn directly from barrel. This extraordinary wine contained part of a living wine mother dating back to 1986. More than simply another tasting, it offered a glimpse into a tradition that values continuity, patience and stewardship across generations.
Vito Introducing Perpetuo
Image Credit: Lynrace 2026
The connection between wine, culture and identity extends beyond the glass. Every bottle produced by Vito Oddo carries artwork created by Sicilian artist Alessandro Siviglia. Drawing inspiration from the colours, folklore and traditions of Sicily, the labels reference the island’s storytelling heritage and historic puppetry. The artwork feels less like branding and more like another expression of place, reinforcing the idea that wine, landscape and culture are inseparable.
Just when we thought the evening was drawing to a close, cannoli appeared, accompanied by a pre-market gin infused with seawater and olive leaves produced by a local collaborator. Fresh bread and olive oil were served throughout the evening, with more than one member of our group describing the olive oil as among the best they had ever tasted.
Then came one final surprise.
Vito’s father opened the garage door, started his beautifully preserved Fiat sports car and proceeded to take members of the Lynrace team for an enthusiastic drive through Trapani.
It was an entirely unexpected ending to an unforgettable evening.
Papà Vito’s Fiat sports car
Image Credit: Lynrace 2026
Looking back, what made the experience so memorable was not any single wine, dish or conversation. It was the sense that everything we encountered formed part of the same story. The vineyards, the winery, the food, the artwork, the family and the wines themselves all felt connected to one another and to the place from which they emerged.
In an age where so many experiences are carefully designed, marketed and packaged, there was something refreshing about spending time with someone whose focus remains firmly on craft, family and authenticity.
For one evening in Trapani, we were fortunate enough to experience exactly that.
Salute!