First of all I would like to thank those who yesterday evening have participated to our event – it has emphasized during its participation to the castle of Salemi Dino Taschetta, president of the Trapani cooperative that counts 6.800 hectares of vineyards, 2,480 members and 6 wineries – from musicians Yasmine Brother to painter Anna Avona, finishing with all our guests: this second edition was a real success. Then I would like to launch our new challenge – he continued – Sicily is a viticultural continent whose territory is characterized by a great variability: there are soils that have huge differences and that allow to produce totally different wines. It often becomes difficult to recognize the characteristics of a grape, when cultivated in different areas, because the terroir strongly influences the results of the final product. 

The decision to create a great Doc Sicilia was certainly a smart move: a first step towards the enhancement of the Sicily vineyard and a brand that deserves to be exported internationally. Now, however, the time has come to take a step forward, for this reason it is important to see and study what the areas that have great experience in the wine sector have done». The French system, established in the 1930s, provides for the AOC at the summit, similar to our Doc, But within them – continues Taschetta – there are many levels, corresponding to micro-territories particularly suited and with particular characteristics that give recognizability and prestige to the wines produced. A strategic choice was to allow the various DOC present in Sicily to be part, however, of a single great “hat” under which all gather. With the institutions of the additional geographical areas, we would like to delimit the smaller areas that historically and traditionally offer great wines, classifying them as if they were Premier Cru or French Grand Cru. In this direction we are asking the Consortium to transform the Igt Salemi into an “Additional Geographical Unit” of the Sicilian DOC». 

With this goal Colomba Bianca is promoting a collection of signatures, involving multiple wineries in the Trapani area, who responded with great enthusiasm to the appeal: We want to enhance and promote this land more – concludes Taschetta – leaving traces of our passage, our commitment and our passion. It is said that everything is born twice, first in someone’s mind and then in reality. Today we have started a journey that is turning a dream into reality, to help create more wealth and value for all».