Farsons Beverage Imports Company (FBIC) Limited recently hosted two wine events to showcase the wines from the historic Sicilian winery, Tasca d’Almerita – a family of wine entrepreneurs whose key words are sustainability, quality, tradition and innovation. Since 1830 they have been passionately dedicated to Sicily, an island rich in diverse soils, climates and altitudes.

Tasca’s envoy Antonio Virando, a Sicilian wine connoisseur, led the guests at both events on a journey through the Regaleali and Tascante estates. The first event was a tasting session at Farsonsdirect’s The Wine Shop in Mriehel. The session kicked off with the Almerita Brut, one of the finest sparkling wines Sicily has to offer, followed by Regaleali’s Grecanico and Perricone. Ghiaia Nera from their Tascante estate was next – an interpretation of Nerello Mascalese from young vineyards expressing soft tannins, good drinkability and freshness. The session finished off with Capofaro’s Diamante, a sweet wine made from Muscat and Gewürztraminer grapes grown in the highest part of the estate and left to dry in the shade to preserve acidity and its aromatic characteristics.

Ristorante Dolce Vita overlooking St Julians’ picturesque Spinola Bay, was the location for the second event.  Once again Antonio Virando led the evening presenting the wines from their Regaleali and Capofaro estates with some fabulous pairings. The highlights of the night included Leone d’Almerita, flagship wine Nozze d’Oro, Riserva del Conte, Rosso del Conte 2007 and Malvasia.

Tasca d’Almerita is managed by Count Lucio Tasca and his sons Giuseppe and Alberto. Tenuta Regaleali is set amid 500ha of dramatic hills in the heart of Sicily – a triumphant example of environmental protection and viticultural biodiversity. The other estates are: Tascante on the slopes of the Mt Etna volcano, where vineyards are surrounded by century-old chestnut woods; Capofaro Malvasia & Resort on Salina island, part of the Aeolian archipelago; and Sallier de La Tour in the province of Palermo.

While the history of Tasca d’Almerita dates 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 1950s, devoting himself to the promotion of Sicilian wines and introducing a new business model based on quality and innovation rather than quantity and bulk production. He launched the winery’s two flagship wines: Rosso del Conte and Nozze d’Oro.

FBIC proudly imports and distributes Tasca d’Almerita wines locally. Available in selected restaurants, wine boutiques and Farsonsdirect’s The Wine Shop in Mriehel (www.farsonsdirect.com). FBIC is a member of the Farsons Group.