A Restored Farmhouse among the Vines of Puglia
Arianna Occhipinti started her own label in 2004 with one hectare of abandoned vines in Fossa di Lupo. Two decades later her estate spans nine contrade in the Cerasuolo di Vittoria DOCG, and in July 2025 she extended that same philosophy into hospitality with Chaza, a two-house project in Contrada Santa Margherita. Casa di Pietra is the smaller and older-feeling of the two: a restored stone farmhouse set inside a large orchard, built for guests who want an intimate stay.
Casa di Pietra began as one of the old rural houses scattered through Santa Margherita's farmland, and the restoration kept that history visible. Stone walls stay exposed throughout, paired with a fireplace that does the same work it always did, heating the room where people gather.
The main living area joins sitting room and kitchen into one warm, compact space, with the fireplace as its focal point. Two bedrooms sit off this core, each with a private bathroom, one fitted with a shower. A separate, well-equipped main bathroom and an adjacent laundry room complete the interior, kept apart from the main house for convenience.
A manicured garden surrounds the house, with a private swimming pool framed by greenery and shaded seating nearby. The setting favors stillness over spectacle: reading in the shade, swimming, or simply sitting inside the orchard the house was built into.
Layout
This vacation home for rent in Chiaramonte Gulfi sleeps up to four guests. Two bedrooms, each with a large double bed and a private bathroom, one with a shower, connect to a single open living and kitchen space centered on the fireplace, with a separate main bathroom and dedicated laundry room completing the interior.
- Bedroom 1: Large double, en suite
- Bedroom 2: Large double, en suite with shower
- 1 separate main bathroom
Experiences
The estate runs all experiences directly. A contrada wine tour by jeep covers the soil differences behind each wine's flavor. Cellar visits and tastings are led by the winemaking team. A cooking class focuses on simple, seasonal Sicilian dishes, finished around the table.
Good to know
Guests can order the Dispensa Occhipinti, a curated case of estate wine, oil, and pantry staples, delivered to the house for an additional fee. Airport transfers and extra housekeeping are available on request, also for a fee. Bicycles are provided for exploring the contrada on two wheels. Wi-fi, air-conditioning, and a washing machine are included.
Amenities & services
Air-conditioning, fully equipped kitchen with basic appliances, separate laundry room, washing machine and clothesline, bicycles, garden furniture and barbecue, pool towels, welcome kit with local guide and map, cot available on request. Additional fee: wine and pantry selection, airport or station transfers, extra housekeeping
Around
Casa di Pietra sits in Contrada Santa Margherita, the most recently planted of Arianna Occhipinti's nine contrade, in the hills above Chiaramonte Gulfi, the town locals call the "balcony of Sicily." Family-run wineries, oil mills, and small producers of cheese, honey, and preserves open their doors throughout the surrounding countryside, most reachable within a short drive. Ragusa, Modica, and Noto, the Baroque heart of southeastern Sicily, sit nearby. For lunch, Majore has been cooking pork in the historic center of Chiaramonte Gulfi since 1896, now in its fourth generation. Book ahead as the dining room is small. Marina di Ragusa and the Iblean coast are roughly 40km away.
Location
Chiaramonte Gulfi, Ragusa, Sicily, Italy. Nearest airport: Comiso (CIY, 20km)
Best time to visit
April through June and September through October bring mild temperatures and harvest season in the surrounding orchards and vineyards.
