Behind the Label

Leaving the bustle of the coastal capital Palermo and traveling inland through one of Italy’s most dramatic landscapes, one will discover Regaleali, the estate of the Tasca d’Almerita family. Located in the mountainous heart of Sicily, Regaleali is a world unto itself: a vast estate owned by the Tasca d’Almerita family since 1837 and best known for its fine wines and its internationally recognized cooking school.

While the history of Tasca d’Almerita goes back to the 19th century, it was Count Giuseppe Tasca who started a new era for the winery and the Sicilian wine business in the late 1950’s, devoting himself to the promotion of Sicilian wines and introducing a new business model based on quality and innovation rather than on quantity and bulk production. He invented the winery’s two flagship wines: Rosso del Conte and Nozze d’Oro. Rosso del Conte, created in the early 1970’s, elevated the quality of the native Nero d’Avola grape through the use of modern winemaking techniques. It is considered the “father” of the modern Sicilian high-end reds. Today, as a result of Count Giuseppe’s hard work and dedication over the past 50 years, all the wines of Tasca d’Almerita are celebrated worldwide for their outstanding value and prestigious history. Today the winery is run by the Tasca d’Almerita family with Count Lucio (Count Giuseppe’s son) as President, and his two sons: Giuseppe who serves as Vice President and Alberto as Managing Director. 

In addition to the wines, the estate is practically self sufficient, producing most of the vegetables, fruits, wheat, olives, cheeses and meats. This inspired Marchesa Anna Tasca Lanza, Count Lucio’s sister, to establish a culinary school, which today is considered one of the best in Italy and has inspired culinary professionals from around the world, including Julia Child and Alice Waters. In addition, Anna introduced hundreds more to the art of Sicilian cuisine through her cookbooks, Heart of Sicily: Recipes and Reminiscences of Regaleali, a Country Estate and The Flavors of Sicily: Stories, Traditions, and Recipes for Warm-Weather Cooking.