GIUSEPPE ALLIATA DI VILLAFRANCA & IL DUCA
EDOARDO DI SALAPARUTA

“Every morning, at dawn, Sicily is born. It is born with the sun and with colors”, wrote Tony Maraini Alliata. And one morning, amid that sun and those colors, from the desire to vinify the grapes from his own estates in Casteldaccia, it is born the dream of Giuseppe Alliata di Villafranca, Duca di Salaparuta, a rebellious man of the 18th century, who got his hands dirty with soil, deciding to produce an elegant and innovative Sicilian wine that could compete with the French oenological model of the time. It was 1824, and thus began one of the first chapters in Sicilian oenological history.
A feeling of passion that even resisted the phylloxera thanks to the vision of Duke Edoardo, who, upon returning from France, brought American rootstocks with him, preparing the territory for the arrival of the dreaded parasite. Years later, while phylloxera was devastating vineyards throughout Italy, in the Corvo district and its surroundings, the landscape was filled with green, as there was a vast expanse of vineyards in full production.

DUCA ENRICO & TOPAZIA ALLIATA

After a century, in the early 1900s, the entrepreneurial thirst of the Alliata family reached its peak with Duca Enrico, a visionary soul who carried forward the oenological dream of his grandfather Edoardo, constantly adding new products and labels. His innovative vision transcends the boundaries of Sicily, achieving international success from Rome to New York, with prestigious awards and recognition.
A thirst that is also inherited by Topazia, daughter of Enrico Duca di Salaparuta, wife of Fosco Maraini, and mother of Dacia. A rebellious genius, bridging art and pride, Topazia symbolizes female entrepreneurial emancipation in the challenging years of rural mafia. It is the testimony to this deep ambitious sentiment, characterized by courage, audacity, and a forward-looking perspective, that has allowed the oenological project of Duca di Salaparuta to live on and endure over time. To her, we owe the birth of Colomba Platino, one of the great classics among the most renowned Sicilian wines, which, after 50 years of history, still retains all the charm of a timeless white wine.

FRANCO GIACOSA

The oenological challenge of Duca di Salaparuta continues when Topazia, the last heir of the Alliata family to run the company, has the insight to hand over the business to those who could ensure its future: Sicily, understood as a region and not just as land, decides to embrace the entrepreneurial project, reaping the rewards of noble work and investing resources to plant new roots.

These are the years when the dream passes into the hands of another man who believed in the Sicilian wine of Duca di Salaparuta: Franco Giacosa brings Duca Enrico to life, which he himself described as "One of the most important bets of my life". 160 years have passed since the morning when Giuseppe Alliata began writing the first chapter of this captivating story of wine, land, and people. In 1984, with Giacosa, Duca di Salaparuta vinified Nero d'Avola in purity for the first time, inaugurating a new era in Sicilian oenology.

Franco Giacosa and Duca Enrico are credited with the discovery and revaluation of Nero d'Avola, now the flagship grape of Sicily, previously used exclusively as a blending wine. Duca di Salaparuta adorns itself with a unique and elegant blue that still sets it apart in the wine world today. Three years pass, and the passion for the project continues with Bianca di Valguarnera, the native white wine made from pure Insolia grapes, which has been recognized for its structure, elegance, and longevity for 36 years. A new color, soft, delicate, and feminine, is added to the Sicilian wine scene, one that now characterizes another part of our oenological soul.

AUGUSTO REINA

As the third millennium approaches, the sentiment doesn't stop; instead, it evolves and strengthens when new challenges involve the company. It is 2001 when the entrepreneurial spirit of Duca di Salaparuta passes into the hands of those who continue, once again, to believe in the dream. It's Augusto Reina, the entrepreneur founder of Illva Saronno, who acquires the company and its production territories, marking a decisive turning point for the future of what is now a successful wine business.

From the Vajasindi Estate on Mount Etna, following the significant attention given to French international grape varieties in the 1990s when volcanic soils had not yet gained the great success they enjoy today, the thirst for innovation and experimentation leads to a new oenological challenge: the cultivation of Pinot Noir on the slopes of Mount Etna. Thus, Nawari is born, the third Icon wine of Duca di Salaparuta that continues to be imbued with ambition.