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Wine as a product of the land, but also as a way to discover and tell the story of a territory. This was the central theme of “In Vino Salus”, the event held on 16 September at La Pirrera Urban Park in Lascari, promoted by the Municipality of Lascari and organised by the Pro Loco of Lascari, the Strada dei Vini e dei Sapori delle Madonie sul percorso della Targa Florio and ONAV Enna – Nicosia branch.

The choice of La Pirrera added a special atmosphere to the evening. Lascari’s ancient tuff quarry, characterised by cavities and tunnels created by quarrying activities and now restored as an urban, cultural and environmental space, is itself a testament to the relationship between people and the land. It was therefore a particularly fitting setting in which to talk about wine, landscape and identity.

The Pro Loco of Lascari, which has long been committed to promoting the local community, its traditions and cultural and tourism initiatives, contributed to organising an event that attracted a large audience and transformed the tasting into an opportunity to discover the territory.

Four wineries, four expressions of the land

Four wineries took centre stage during the tasting.

Abbazia Santa Anastasia, based in Castelbuono and committed to organic and biodynamic production, includes among its labels Passomaggio, Montenero and Litra, the latter made entirely from Cabernet Sauvignon.

Castellucci Miano, from Valledolmo, cultivates mountain vineyards located between 700 and 1,050 metres above sea level, with a particular focus on Catarratto and Perricone. Its wines include Miano, Shiarà, Perric.One, Maravita, Miano Brut and Nero d’Avola.

Tasca d’Almerita – Tenuta Regaleali, in the Sclafani Bagni area, is one of Sicily’s historic wine estates. Among the estate’s iconic labels are Rosso del Conte, originating from the San Lucio vineyard, and Nozze d’Oro, a white wine made from Inzolia and Sauvignon Tasca.

Finally, Tenuta San Giaime, in Gangi, represents the high-altitude viticulture of the Madonie. Its wines include S’23 Syrah, G’25 Grillo, N’22 Pinot Noir, M’22 Nerello Mascalese and P’22 Perricone, as well as Maqarat.

Four wineries with different histories, altitudes, grape varieties and production philosophies, united by their ability to express in every glass the distinctive character of the places where their vines are grown.

Salvatore Burrafato: tasting wine means tasting the territory

The event was opened by Salvatore Burrafato, an ONAV wine taster, who guided the audience through a journey of conscious wine tasting.

At the heart of his presentation was the inseparable connection between wine and terroir. Every wine is born from the interaction of four fundamental elements: soil, climate and microclimate, grape variety and human intervention.

Wine, therefore, is not simply the result of a production process; it is an expression of the place where it originates. Change the soil, altitude, exposure or microclimate, and the same grape variety can reveal a completely different character.

It was from this perspective that Burrafato invited the audience to experience the evening’s tasting: through those wines, in a sense, we were tasting the Madonie themselves.

The Wine Route begins again: from product to journey

This same vision was at the heart of the contribution by Salvatore Cicco, from Tenuta San Giaime and President of the Strada dei Vini e dei Sapori delle Madonie sul percorso della Targa Florio.

With a history spanning around twenty years, the association resumed its activities in 2026 after a period of inactivity. This new beginning has the potential to be significant not only for the wine sector, but for the entire tourism system of the Madonie.

A Wine Route reaches its full potential when it succeeds in transforming a collection of outstanding local products into a genuine travel itinerary.

A winery then becomes one stop on a broader journey encompassing restaurants, traditional products, accommodation, landscapes, cultural heritage, local towns and communities. A wine tasting can be combined with a walk through the vineyards, a meeting with the producer, a lunch inspired by local cuisine or the discovery of places that are usually outside the traditional tourist routes.

And this is where the Targa Florio can become an extraordinary distinguishing feature.

The roads on which one of the world’s most celebrated motor races was born can become the narrative thread through which travellers explore the Madonie and encounter their wines, flavours and communities.

No longer three separate elements, but one story: Wine, Food and the Targa Florio.

The revival of the Wine Route can therefore help create a distinctive and marketable tourism offer, connecting wine producers, restaurateurs, accommodation providers, tourism operators and local authorities. Above all, it can encourage visitors to travel through the territory rather than limiting their experience to a single destination.

This perspective is particularly relevant for inland areas, where experiential tourism can encourage longer stays and help distribute visitor flows towards places and businesses that would otherwise struggle to reach tourism markets independently.

From the Madonie towards Nicosia and the western Nebrodi

This vision can also extend beyond the geographical boundaries of the Madonie themselves.

The collaboration with ONAV Enna – Nicosia branch points towards an interesting connection with Sicily’s inland areas and the western Nebrodi.

Nicosia can serve as a natural bridge between territories that share mountain landscapes, agricultural and food traditions, local heritage and a common need to develop an integrated tourism offer.

After all, administrative boundaries matter little to travellers. What matters are the experiences, the roads they travel and the stories a territory is able to tell.

A greeting from Totò Riolo and the music of the Quartetto Florio

One particularly enjoyable moment came with a phone call from Totò Riolo, the racing driver from Cerda with deep ties to the Targa Florio and an eleven-time winner of the historic competition, who was unable to attend the evening in person.

At the end of his greeting, Riolo good-naturedly reminded the audience to drink in moderation, inevitably bringing a smile to those who were, at that very moment, taking part in an event dedicated to discovering and appreciating wine.

The evening was accompanied by the music of the Quartetto Florio, a Sicilian string quartet whose repertoire ranges from classical music to contemporary interpretations of famous pop and rock songs.

In Vino Salus showed how a wine tasting can become something more: an opportunity to tell the story of a landscape, its products and its history.

And perhaps this is precisely the challenge facing the renewed Strada dei Vini e dei Sapori delle Madonie sul percorso della Targa Florio: to ensure that behind every bottle visitors discover a place — and that, once they have discovered that place, they feel inspired to set out on a journey to experience it for themselves.

Because behind every wine there is a territory.

And that evening, at La Pirrera in Lascari, the Madonie were in the glass.

The prestigious recognition was awarded during the "Millefiori Siciliani" Competition, held in Sortino (SR) on September 26, 2025, and organized by A.R.A.S. – the Regional Association of Sicilian Beekeepers.
The judging panel evaluated 86 honey samples from across Sicily, the result of the passionate work of numerous beekeepers who submitted the finest products of their production to a rigorous selection process.

At the end of the tasting sessions, 35 honeys were selected, of which 14 received the distinction of “excellent” and 21 were awarded “very good.”

The results concerning our territory, represented by Il Melograno Farm of Elisa Cerrito, were particularly gratifying: the farm was awarded first and fourth place in the Sicilian Spring Wildflower Honey category.

This is a great source of pride—not only a personal one for Elisa Cerrito and Riccardo Presti, who for years have pursued a virtuous path rooted in respect for local traditions and the production of high-quality honey made possible by the great variety of plants they cultivate—but also because of the strong social value of the project they have long been committed to, through their collaboration with Don Mazzi’s Exodus Foundation and the many educational sessions dedicated to students, where they passionately share the "wonderful world of bees."

“Such a prestigious evaluation not only highlights our dedication as beekeepers, but once again confirms the richness and value of the land where our precious bee friends grow and feed: the territory of Motta d’Affermo and its surroundings,” says Elisa, dynamic Operator of GMT™ Halaesa Nebrodi, further emphasizing how biodiversity, respect for nature, and the authenticity of our land naturally manifest themselves in the production of honey and its derivatives.

On Sunday 17 November, “Mielerie Aperte – Open Honey Houses”, a nationwide project promoted by UNAAPI, returns to the Il Melograno agricultural and social farm in Motta d’Affermo, an active partner of GMT Halaesa-Nebrodi.

During the event, Elisa and Riccardo guide visitors through the fascinating world of bees and beekeeping, together with social organisations that work with the farm to provide inclusion services across the area.

Visitors can learn about bees and beekeeping, discover the treasures of the hive and taste a selection of Sicilian honeys.

Two visiting sessions are available, from 10:00 a.m. to noon and from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m., at the Open Honey House workshop, Via Belvedere 3, Motta d’Affermo.

For information and bookings, call +39 347 648 1284.