Our Story
Astrid and Juanito Camilleri gave life to the Ta’ Betta project in 2002 after Patrick Xerri, the estate’s viticulturalist, introduced them to Vincenzo Melia.
Together they embarked on a journey to realise a dream: that of making fine wines with personality and aging potential, which embody the terroir of a four-hectare estate, in Girgenti limits of Siġġiewi, Malta.
The choice of name for their brand reflects the passion that drives them. The estate was named after Bettina their daughter born only months earlier: Ta’ in Ta’ Betta, meaning “belonging to”. The logo depicts a girl reaching out to a vine, to a future in wine making perhaps?
In 2003, having embellished and re-scoped the newly acquired land, and its rubble walls to prevent soil erosion, the first vines, imported from France, started to be planted. Carefully selected clones of noble grape varietals: Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Syrah, and after some prolonged debate Chardonnay.
The first harvest of the reds started in 2006, that of the white two years later. Thence started the wine-making journey: in a modest rural room on the estate, fondly referred to as “chateau garage”.
The 15,000 mature vines on the Girgenti estate are painstakingly cared for, pruned single guyot to help control yield and concentration of nutrients in the grapes. The results obtained from inception stood out, nature through its bounty spoke: the wine was indeed fine and with personality to boot!
Spurred on by the potential, the process of constructing a state-of-the-art boutique winery on the estate got underway. An arduous, but, rewarding journey within a journey, from “chateau garage” to “chateau chic”.
Although the estate wines have been launched on the market in 2019, Ta’ Betta has the benefit of 12 years of research experience, and samples of as many years of vintages in the owner’s private cellar. These are living testimony that our wines are made to age: the 2006 reds are maturing nicely and growing in complexity, the few remaining bottles of 2008 white are still fresh and full of fruit.
Today, after more than twenty years of painstaking planning and attention to detail, Ta’ Betta is proud to bring three wines to your discerning palate, which embody our philosophy based on authenticity and sincerity: we allow the wine to speak for itself, of this terroir, of our story, our school of wine-making, of our heritage… it also speaks volumes of us.
The Wine Estate
Ta’ Betta Wine Estate comprises of 4 hectares of terraced land situated circa 200 metres above sea-level in an area known as the Contrada ta’ Brija in Girgenti limits of Siġġiewi, Malta.
There are circa 15,000 vines planted on site and around 200 olive trees apart from fig trees, carob trees and miscellaneous indigenous Maltese flora.
The Winery is situated on the southern flank of the Estate enjoying views of the vineyard with the medieval town of Mdina as a backdrop, the Grand Master’s summer residence to the north-west, the Inquisitor’s summer residence to the west, and the Laferla Cross on the hill south-west. The grounds of the estate are maintained with care and are ideal for a tranquil and enjoyable exclusive wine tasting event which can be organised from time to time by appointment only.
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