Ep. 1431 Alberto Tasca | On The Road Edition With Stevie Kim

Hey, guys. Check out Italian wine unplugged two point o brought to you by Mama jumbo shrimp, a fully updated second edition, reviewed and revised by an expert panel of certified Italian wine ambassadors from across the globe. The book also includes an addition by professoria Atilushienza. Italy's leading vine geneticist. To pick up a copy today, just head to Amazon dot com or visit us at mama jumbo shrimp dot com. Welcome to another episode of On The Road Edition, hosted by Stevie Kim. Each week, she travels to incredible wine destinations, interviewing some of the Italian wine scene's most interesting personalities, talking about wines, the foods, as well as the incredible travel destinations. My name's Stevie Kim. Welcome to Italian Wine Podcast on the Road Edition. And this is Cicilia. It's the continuation of Sicily because your friend, Alicia Klaneta. He said, Basta. Stop going to Aetna. I know you love Aetna, but you have to come to the interland of Sistening. That's what we decided to do on this short journey in Sichinia. So first, we, as you know, We went to see Alicia Planeta in Menthi, and also, Alicia, I have a personal message for you. I'm going to kill your ass because because you told us the shortcut. The best route to get from Memphis to, Taska, and it was absolutely a nightmare because there was nobody. And every every there were curves, like, I I think at least thousands and thousands. So, thank you for that. And, you know, there's this thing called payback. So I'm still thinking about what I can do for that. So that was something that I wanted to say to your friend, Alicia. And today, we're here with, Alberto, Tasca, and we are in where where are we? We are in Regali Ali. Welcome in Regali Ali. Rega Leali. It sounds like, you know, when the Chinese, they can't say the r Is that right? Rega Leali. Okay. It's on Harab's name. Come from Arabs. It's an Arab's name. Yes. Reha Haleyali. Okay. What does that mean? What does it mean? The domain of Ali. Mhmm. Probably, Ali was a sultan, and so the domain there are many, small town and and place that are called Regal Michi, regalbuto, Regal, so Regal is the domain of, and, and the other name is the the name of the sultan that was, the property, that owned the property. And when did you, start this wine business? When I mean, your family goes back to way back, right, in the eighteen hundreds. Even the family, even before, they moved here in regularly, in eighteen thirty. Okay. They bought this property from a Spanish family, the alvarez de toledo. Mhmm. And and that was, one thousand two hundred hectares of agriculture, poor agriculture, except So the the the side close to the house that has contained, that was seven seventy five, hun seventy five factors of grapes, fruits, and animals. So eighteen sixty two. Give us a little, a short history of your family. My family. First, so first of all, you're. Are you No. My my brother, you say And what would happen? And then because Don't you automatically be No. Only the first only the first. The first on the in each generation, tells the, the titles. So my brother, like, big brother, Giuseppe, as you know, very well. He is the character. And what are you? The brother of the count. The brother of the count is, just a simple alberto. Nothing. And, so my family was a a family that I found in there. There's a lot of literature here in in, about the agriculture in Europe. And in each of these books, many of them were brought in in France, in France. Mhmm. And they were talking about Regaleas in a place, a model place that works really close with university to innovate in agriculture to experiment. And, so they were really a passionate of of agriculture in general and really a passionate about innovation. So the DNA the DNA was totally on how can we experiment and do better. This kind of DNA generation, but generation became the DNA of the place. So now the places are strong DNA on this versus the experiment and and and and and try to don't break the tradition. Keep the tradition, but try to look always. So let me, ask you to give us a brief panoramic overview of all of your estates Yeah. The Tasca Almerita family. So And and give us kind of the geo localize where they are located. So what what what type of so we start here in Regaljali, and Regaljali was, our home and the place where we start to study about, wine and wines in general. We bring a lot of innovation here. It was a moment where SCC was not so famous for a grapevine wine. So I remember when I started to work, the the the production of bottle wine was really, really low, so less than twelve percent. Right. And so then after that, that was It was mostly bulk wines. Bullquines. Yes. Was I really easy market for bulk wine that we use to sell everywhere. After the two words, my grandfather start to, to bring a lot of energy on the five lines. Before that, we have just Your grandfather. So Giuseppe. Yes. It's like you said. Lucho to say. That's It's like the hundred years. Yes. I'm the the black sheep. Oh, no. No. No. And, it shall be before before him, even, his grandfather, used to produce wine in in Palerma, Vila Tasca. That was called Vila Camastra. That was the hand of the, of the nineteenth century. Oh my god, Vila Tasca. Yes. I know. You know why I know. No. White lotus. Yes. That's why. It's crazy. Yeah. They weren't that So in white lotus, they said that that we got that sky in Noto, but, it's the one in Palermo, and it's my brother, because my brother, Josepe, was doing, part of this, series, and, he was, the count to Pet Petasca, oozing people in Villaaska. Right. And so is it traditional. So in, they translate him in Italian, but he's pick his own original English there. That's Pepe. You know, Pepepepepepepepepepe is the best. And and, so from that, we were in eighteen eighty when we started to produce wine, then we stopped for doing the two words. Mhmm. And then we, the family decide to sell other property around CCR to invest everything here and to restart with the wine production. So in the in the nineteen fifty, we start with bianco and Roso. Then that's because I will mention before the DNA experimentation was really, interesting. We start to produce, like, a wine like Rosodekolte, that was, come after my grandfather tour in ShatonF DuPont. Oh, okay. So that period Let's taste the wine. In in the sixties, the ShatonF department was, the the model to to to follow, and and he decided to spend there a month study the wines there and say, now I will do the best one in the world. That was his ambitions. So he choose, a particular vineyard that is called Vigna Salucho. And, it's Oh, we went there yesterday. It's a Nineteen fifty nine. Yeah. Exactly the year. Yes. But it was a little bit later. So he started this project. The the first vintages of Rosal called is the nineteen seventies. So this is really your signature wine. Yes. But in the in the vineyard Mhmm. Evo I went with EVA. He explained to us that there are just field blends, actually. Right? It's difficult to differentiate between Peticana and Errada. Yes. For him. Yes. But if you know Okay. Because, you know, the leaves For evil. Yes. God, tell me. It's really difficult, difficult before the leaves come out. When the leaves come out, have different attitudes, when one goes down, one's good hop. So that's that's, a little bit easier, and then we recognize it. But the nice thing is that this vineyard is a blend vineyard, and we verify everything together. So the fermentation is together. And that's in a whole tradition world was like this. And we also, in the, two thousand ten we we reproduce after forty years, the first, like, similar of the first, of integers, the the the perfect blend with more pericorna than Nero da hola. But the nice thing is that was aging in in chestnut. Yes. I saw that. Yeah. And chestnut is so strong. So need a big fruit behind. If you don't have it, it's really difficult to to to drink. And that the nice things that they have the nice things that Chezna need, almost not less than five years, six years to, to be ready. So the the first three, four years, the, fruit and and wood, fight together. So you can fill them both, but not integrated. So this is your signature wine. Yes. This is your family wine. This is the historic red wine for the family. And how how many bottles do you produce of this? It's depending on the vintages. We arrive, almost like sixty thousand bottles, but depend on the vintage. The Nero Dawala is really gone in late hours. Have have a really a small skin, delicate skin. So when it's raining, we'll use a lot, and then, it depends if it's too warm. So it's depend. And so what about the the other white wine we have? Not cedoro. It's the first, another Not cements. Wedding. Yes. North Sedaro was, one that was dedicated from my, a grandfather to my grand mommy for their fifty years of anniversary of So Giusepe. Giusepe to Franco. Okay, Franco. And, it's a crazy one that's, I think, is is playing regularly very well. So there were where we are. We are in the center in the middle of the woods, you see, and I altitude. We are not surround surrounded by mountains, so we don't have the influence of the sea. So here, the scotian between nineteen days is so high. During summertime, we have even more than twenty five degrees of differences. And that's give a lot of complexity. And the wine, the ripeness arrive, like, almost one month or or forty five days later, consider, the cost in C City. Okay? So the wine here has a characteristic, but not only the wine, even the olive oil, and things that's, of longevity. So they are integrated and they can keep in time. And not a dollar, it's a crazy wine. So you can drink it after twenty years. It's a jet still wide. It has great aging potential. Yes. Right? Yes. Right. Yes. And what are the, the grapefruit blends? There is a kind of sauvignon that we found here. Right. Yeah. Sabignon task. Yeah. They call it sauvignon taska. Doesn't mean, when that was professor, because, I mean, what happened? Because the the the vines adopt themselves, then they change a little bit their their kind of, attitude and even the kind of cluster and and live. And and the width in solia, and we've have really hold, vineyards of in solia, and they are blending together. And But what, but what is it called? Notcedoro? Notcedoro is means gold wedding. And is that, like, hundred years? Fifty years. Fifty years. Fifty years. Yes. Hundred years is hard. You can do that, man. You mean And you never know. Exactly. So how many wines does the, regale Ali. How many labels do you have? Too many. How many? We here, we are talking about eighteen. Eighteen. Yeah. So we used to do so our model is agricultural model. So we used to connect vineyards to to label. Okay? We do two ones that make a lot of, blend of favorite things that are regularly Biancon, regularly also in the mid half of the product that we produce here in Rekahliali, and all the others are coming from, direct vineyards. But is that cost effective? I mean, you, you are the king of sustainability. Yes. Is it economically sustainable? What you're doing? Show down. Yes. It could be, but the honest speaking is not ideally. So ideally, just have one wine per state and, and do an easy job. But it's part of the the DNA of the company. So we introduced here many varieties. We my father was the first in reducing here, chardonnay and cabernet. So that's the the attitude of experimentation print that we do really a lot of stupid things, and that means, producing different wine and try. But this exercise helps you a lot to understand your pace, your territory. I'm creating crazy in love with the geography of wine. So to me, a great wine has two represent where it come from, who he is, and where he's going on OLDC. Okay? And so should know that to understand better that as much as experience you can do helps you a lot. So give me, so you make eighteen labels from Regale Ali. But give me an overview of where the other states are located. The other states are. So we from regularly, then it happened that we around the nineties, we understood that CCD was considered now for a good wine. Mhmm. But, the the perception was a flat island. And so we were, and it's not at all. Because believe me, Alicia, taught me that it's not flat at all. No. That's all. And this is quite elevated. Yes. I wasn't expecting that. Yes. Close seventy percent of the total highland is by, on the hills. Mhmm. And, and that that's crazy. So it's a lot. And each place has a lot of different culture and different attitudes. So we start to look for attitudes. So we jumped to Salinas, where there was the Malvasia, the Le Lipari tradition, and we get in love with that during, suite wine that is called Capofaro. It's a super nice location on, facing on Northern, on Salina where we produce this Malvasia, dry, and sweet. Small production Right? Yes. Really small. We are talking there an entire highlands as with ten hectares. Mhmm. And we also produce wine in a in another highland, it's called volcano. We called Avina, the the the paola just to have different kind of vineyards and the impact of the two islands. And where is that? Where is that? Bolcano is another of the, Olin Islands. Okay. Close due to Salina. It's the first closer to Milazzo. Okay. So it is it it's close to, Capofado. Yeah. So Salinas in Capofa, Capofaro is in Salina, then we have Lipar and then volcano. Right. Those are to the coast. But the project is to to go there to try to to study each vineyards and try to understand better the attitude of each place. And then, so from Capofaro, we we, jumped it to Moxia, and Moxia is owned by Grillo. Grillo de Moxia. Because I went there when you you when you first started the project Yes. Project, but there was no vines. Because all the rabbits destroy everything. Yes. That was two thousand twelve. Now what do you do with the rabbits? Yeah. With the rabbits, as as often always happen with rabbits or if you don't kill them, they die them self because there is a pandemic. The hell did the rabbits get into this island in the first place? With That's my question. With men, with people. So They bought it. They bought it. They bought it. They bought it. They bought it. They bought it. Yeah. To the highland. Because they used to have it. Yes. They probably got so fast. And then after that, a pandemic arrived and they they they totally died. So when we Oh, they died. Yes. Be because they are demanding. No. That's quite a COVID. It's all different weight, but it's similar. And so that's the the the the highland of Monte is crazy. The altitude was there for for, working on a grillo, dry grillo. It was two thousand seven. I had no experience at that moment with grillo. Grillo. The grillo that I found it here were most, in the main with the oxy oxidation method, so it wasn't clear to me what was it. And so we start this experience in a place that is unique. And, the there are whole bush vineyards really hold now as twelve actors of Grillo. And so and and there we are dedicated there to Grillo. So once we were there, we both, even to regularly, the Grillo to understand better. So that's why we produce many many, many grapes because something always should happen like this. Finks regularly as an university where we're studying a lot of you, the altitude of the pace where we are, the clay, soil, and and things. And the other, it states around our specific on some mission, with the the right attitude. Are you enjoying this podcast? Don't forget to visit our YouTube channel. Mama jumbo shrimp for fascinating videos covering Stevie Kim and her travels across Italy and beyond, meeting winemakers, eating local foods, and taking in the scenery. Now, back to the show. Then from March that we went in Salia de Latur, that is in there. Where is that? In the population, it's called doc Moriale. Okay. That where we were really in looking for the altitude of the combination of Sierra and the place, really tough, varieties, but really great expression there with, great elegance. Where is it located? It's half an hour from Palermo going them in the center of the highlands. Okay. So from Palermo, south directions of twenty minutes of twenty minutes? I respect to, from here is, one hour and depend on who drive. Yeah. But, I mean, there are around eighty five kilometers in terms of, a linear area, I don't know. So straight line. Yeah. So maybe we can ask our, travel consultant, Alacio. Yes. I asked him the quote. And, so, and then we, after Salay de Latour, we're working with, Syra with jumping Netra, old in two thousand. Yes. In Tascante. And I've been to Tascante, actually. Yes. In two thousand Two thousand and seven. The difference. I went there two thousand eighteen in the very beginning. Okay. We were there in two thousand, also in two thousand seven. So it was, and there we get crazy about the the combination of, Nerelomaskaleza and the altitude. It's not crazy about Nerelomaskaleza. Yeah. No. No. It's it's really tough, but the nice things is tied. The minification by father and different contrada and what is going on. So without with being as natural as you can, you can feel the different of the different contrada. So that was your last, investment Yes. Okay. Yes. And we ended, but we started in two thousand seven. We ended in two thousand sixteen. Was listening. So last night, we, had a taste of thirty six wines Mhmm. Right, from the different estates. You know, and, you know, it was very interesting, Andrea tasted it, simona tasted. And there were some journalists last night, and the and the food pairing was excellent. It was all local. Everything was fried. I love everything that's fried. How can you beat it? You know, you can go with red and white. But I must say the best thing, the most memorable thing. Are you ready? That's it. So that's what my father was decided to to to give up with Kanona because everybody think about that. So the tradition that we have here with the cooking, is crazy. We had our moon suit chef for, that follow us for free generations. Yeah. And, that's why all the fight arrive. He has a big, France influence, and, and he invented his canola. That is, of course, coming for the decision tradition, but we've, the Nero Dawala, scores with Nero Dawala with, ricotta cheese that we produce here, and he's crazy. I know. So, you told me the whole story about your father. Yeah. Because It was crazy. Yeah. He you had a very important number of guests, you know, trade people. They came in. You serve, like, one you had a vertical of, like, I think it was you know, he took out all the librarians. He gave it, like, hundred fifty percent. And then as they were leaving, they're like, you know, thank you very much. The canola was x succulent. The most memorable experience. And Eva told me that your father called somebody and said, okay. That's it. That's it. No. No fucking. Yes. And then, of course, someone else came back and they're like, If you don't have the canola, we're not coming back. So canola is now back in the menu. I thought that was very interesting because, you know, for especially for Americans, right? When I came here, when I went to Tascante, I was on a trip, which I never do. With my siblings. It was like a, you know, private trip. And, and their obsession was to eat canola everywhere we went to understand to rate the best canola, you know, of Aetna. You know, so we have a special affinity to canola. I thought that was the best. We were laughing tons last night. That was the same with atelio Shensen, the lamb. So atelio wants to come here only if we can ensure to him the lamb. So So and it was I I was there. You have to ask him to tell you that it was, he he went to the airport with a lamb, lamb that was Oh, he told me. It was all just scattered. So with blood, with rings, and that's all Anybody that yeah. They put it there and say, what is it? It's amazing. It was like a cadaver. Right? Yeah. He actually told me he told me that story, but I didn't know it was you. Yeah. I had no idea. So There's, of course, you know, you remember these things because when you come here, of course, I've seen thousands of pictures, like, of this courtyard, the magnolia tree, the vineyards, etcetera. But unless you actually come here, you don't really understand where you are. Right? So how how do you, how are you able to transmit that message? How do you communicate? So that that's the most important frustration of my life. We handle my marketing team. So how was five with them. But sometimes I invite, like, people with great high culture of different culture, architect, or philosopher, and I let them spend time in Regaliali. And then after two days without, telling them nothing. I say, okay. Can you how can you communicate it? And and we spend like hours and hours to say, Alberto, probably the only ways to to leave it, to feel it, and let people feel it, and step by step. Yeah. So so important for for you to come in. I'm so glad I'm here. With a nice roller to that. Yeah. Yeah. Exactly. Thank you, Anice. So, I mean, I always say that, you know, I always, like, you know, when we have talks and stuff, I always introduce you as like the antonory of sicily. Right? Because for me, that encapsulates exactly, you know, in terms of, the nobility, in terms of the, the capability, in terms of the history, Right? But you can't say you're, you know, you can't have the payoff, Antonori, the sisling. No. But they are thank you for that. They are a great family. They made a huge thing on the piero. It was one of my mentors, and, I will always looking at Piero and, Antinori and Angelo Galla, or, learn a lot from them. And there are, as you say, inarivabirian arrival, you know, no, that's Yeah. I I think the the nice things of of wine in general is to be, who you are unique in this sense or and try to to keep it. And I I I can tell that many hold family that are involved in one from any generation. I was really connected to with the territory and really, part of it and really try to to keep it, in the best way and and and push them the territory in a in a in the future. And that's that's probably I think it's a common line in an Italian, family of wine. So I'm, you know, I'm I have two more questions. Okay. Ready. One is about this magical bonding you have, you know, with, you know, Alecio and Antonio, for those for our audience, I'm talking about Alecio from Laneta, and, of course, Antonio Gallalo from Donna Frigata. I always, you know, have that famous picture of you guys. Yeah. We're super Super picture. I love it. Yeah. I love it because it's that's you guys. Right? And I'm I'm so amazed because I think you're the only ones who were able to pull this off. Right? Because when your father and Antonio's father, Chacamal, and Alezio's uncle Diego, they did this famous, you know, I love anytime. They say, passaggio genericuno. Mhmm. Somehow they were able to do this together. Right? Mhmm. And it was almost seamless from the outside. How how how were you able to do that? I think that they made a a really huge job on that. And, I think it was their mission. So they start to connect, different wineries in the same region and stay together and think about, the the the common, so what was useful for everybody. And they start to talk to them, to even fight, but they learn how to fight in a sport way, so in a honest way. That's, fight is really important. So bring the energies is really important. So when you say together is not, has not to be a flat moment, has to be a a moment where you bring all your energy and and your ideas and your ways to try to find a solution. And that happened many years ago. So after that, I think we learn how to to to this kind of system of communication, and I hope that the next generation, can keep it. It's really important because we staying together and and thinking together about CCD about how our issue, our problems, and we have found a solution, and we create many things that are crazy. So the last project that is the foundation, the sustained foundation. I knew you could not resist. No. That's that. That's the the I knew. But this is our last project. This is our last project. I knew you were going here. Yes. Yes. Okay. So tell us about your obsession with sustainability. Honest, honestly Yes. It happened from frustration. So there was a period where we had, a huge trend of natural wine that type. Still drink and and love. And Some. Some. Exactly. And, and, biodynamic or an answering saying we were the definition of us was, conventional. So and say, okay. So So I'm I'm not an agronomist, but I want to know. I love to know, and I was his, and I love the science behind. So I want to know what natural means words are. So I was that's what frustration. And sent so I made a question to a teacher who's called professor Capri in from, and, university, Tagra. Yeah. And, I asked him. So, Hector, don't you think we can measure our impact on, what we do or try to understand if I'm doing well or not or is doing better and try to find the right model. And he told me you are talking about sustainability, and that was long time ago. So from that, we start to create the model how to measure our impact. And what the outfit of that I mean, what come out from that was crazy because you learn a lot. You measure, you understand. You can change. You can save a lot. A lot of things like energy, and we are spending, a lot of less money on energy because we use less energy or many things, you can impact much better and became a method of work. And this method of work helped you in the, pro the tissue make making process. And for, human who has to drive it is is the best. So that's how it starts. In my question to you is, however, like, you have you have this foundation, and you have a very good group of, producers you know, who are committed in this cause. But now the word sustainability is it's almost per se. Right? Like, as everybody is talking about Yes. And it's also boring if I can add something. Yeah. So how can you How can you how can you make the this word and this project count? With fact. Yeah. Because there's a lot of things that you can do that we can do as a group. For example, we will present now the the bottle of of that we are made in Sicily. So we decide to produce with OI, that is the, company that produce bottle in Sicily Mhmm. To produce a bottle that is only for CC of producer that is with recycled, glass. Made in in Sicily. So for ninety five percent, that reduced the impact in a in a huge way. And this is just a simple project. It's win win for everybody. The glass producer happy. We are happy and the the environment is piece. So this is the things that can help. So we don't have to talk anymore about sustainability, but use sustainability as a method. Then, yes, you can be you can be certified and that probably is important because if the governance or certification is right, it's the right way to do it, but it's really important to do fact. Do fact together, improve, and bring, know him, but do fix. Yeah. Just do the work. I believe that's the name of our agency. So that's a very good segue to my last question because remember I had two questions. My last question is, so you history, shows that Both you, Alacio Antonio, you know, the leaders of the sicilian wine. You have been committed to expanding, right, growing. But within the Sicilian territory, because if you see any other companies, one company, especially from the North Mhmm. Right, whether they're Pemontezi, Vanetto, Tuskins, they first of all, they all want to go to Aetna, but they have invested in other parts of the country. Right? Mhmm. So what how come you have decided to invest just in Sicily? And not go outside of the sicilian border. So the the agricultural approaches is stuff. You have to dedicate time to the vineyards to understand it. And, it's it's It's a deep job. It's not something that is really easy to do jumping around. And, you need team dedicated everywhere. You need time spending everywhere. So that's it. And we, I think we, we never talk together about this with, the guys. But, I mean, I think we find But for me as an outsider, it's so clear. Yeah. But I think we found a clear potential in many places around CCD. And I think we all, have the your idea that the perception was for a flat island and it's not at all. And we used YouTube to work on this kind of diversity. And this is the message. This is, our job. I don't know if, any of them will go outside, from CCV or me neither in the future. I think it'll be coming to hold. I think it's my my son received. So when you make yeah. Because I think when that is it has to be clear that in Wines, project take, like, not less than ten, fifteen years. To be settled in a program in the best way, except if you do like M and A or something that is more in terms of finance, approach. But then in terms of agriculture approach, need time and and a few nations. So, yeah, I think we we've just found the potential. We are just we are spending a lot of time here and there's a lot of city. Yeah. You're still discovering sicily. Yes. And you are very, very committed to this, rather big island called Cichida. So with that, I think that's a wrap. Thank you for hosting. With no cinotta. For our fifty years of friendship. Okay. Alright. That's a wrap. So till next time. Thank you for joining us on another installment of On The Road Edition, hosted by Stevie Kim. Join her again next week for more interesting content in the Italian wine scene. You can also find us at Italian wine podcast dot com or wherever you get your pods, you can also check out our YouTube channel, mama jumbo shrimp to watch these interviews and the footage captured of each location.