Puleera

Experience history come alive

Puleera is the sicilian word for vine leaf.

Over the centuries the wine leaf has been a silent witness of unfolding events and the symbol of the commitment of the D’Amico to the preservation of their beloved home.

1124 - 1540

Our historic country house was built in the heart of the Sicilian countryside, in a territory that was once called "Piana di Mascali." In 1124 this flat and fertile area was given as a feud to the bishop of Catania Maurizio by Count Roger I the Norman.

Over the centuries, the bishops divided the fertile lands of the plain among local lords.

In 1540, during the reign of Charles V of Hapsburg, the county of Mascali is still under the domain of the bishop of Catania and the lands are put to good use thanks to the commitment and passion of some families from the Acireale and Messina.

1550

Among these families were the ancestors of the D’Amico. They were granted plots of lands in perpetual lease by the bishop Nicolo’ Maria Caracciolo . All the families were tasked with making them more fruitful and had the privilege of enjoying them.

The Mascali plain has been home to a succession of various crops throughout history-- from areas reserved for pastures, to almonds and even mulberry trees for silkworms, as well as vineyards and lemons and today's tropical fruit crops.

Evidence of almond cultivation is still available. From a little trapdoor located on the second floor terrace it is possible to see the warehouse below where the sun dried almonds were stored.

1850

After the devastation of French vineyards by phylloxera, imported from America, the Piana di Mascali became a point of reference for wine in Europe. From the port of Riposto, Sicilian wines took the course to Trieste and Marseille.

Nerello Mascalese was grown on the plain and at the San Leonardello estate. Since that time, the D'Amico territory has constantly remained the largest area cultivated with wines in the county.

The original buiding was smaller. The renovation and construction of the villa as we see it today dates back to this period. It was designed by the ancestor Domenico Amico Gambino whose knowledge of antiseismic techniques led to the adoption of the half-timbered structure, which was absolutely innovative for the time in our area.

vintage picture of an old house's window

1900 -
1940

vintage picture of an old house on the field

In the 1900s the history of the D'Amico family and that of the house continued to intertwine. At the outbreak of war, the farmhouse hosted the family and many evacuees who used the cellar space to find shelter. Parents, children, farmers all together survived in the deep heart of the house. After the nazi soldiers put mines in the parish church of San Leonardello, the daily service was celebrated in the villa’s private chapel.

The restoration of the villa

2000 - 2022

During the renovation of the house among other consolidation and aesthetic improvement works, the interior walls were renovated. With great surprise it was realized that the Art Nouveau decorations dating back to the early 1900s concealed an underlying layer of more elegant and delicate frescoes from the 1700s.

Today, it is possible to observe essays of the stratifications in the Evoca and Aura rooms.

During the renovation, the ancient essence of the house was almost completely preserved. Bathrooms were added and the antiseismic half-timbered structure was consolidated as well as the floors.

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