Ep. 771 Valeria Perzia | Wine, Food & Travel With Marc Millon

Welcome to wine food and travel with me, Mark Millen, on Italian wine podcast. Listen in as we journey to some of Italy's most beautiful places in the company of those who know them best. The families who grow grapes and make fabulous wines. Through their stories, we will learn not just about their wines, but also about their ways of life, the local and regional foods and specialities that pair naturally with their wines. And the most beautiful places to visit. We have a wonderful journey of discovery ahead of us, and I hope you will join me. Welcome to wine, food, and travel with me, Mark Millen, on Italian wine podcast. Today, we traveled to Sicily to meet my guest, Valeria Perzia, who is on the commercial side of the consortium Liberatera Medi Terranio. Thank you for joining us Valaria to tell us about this very important movement and social initiative. How are you today? Really fine. Thank you. And thank you for having us in, your podcast. We're happy to talk with you today. Oh, no. It's a great pleasure to have you with us, and I'm very interested to share the Liberatara story with our listeners because it's such an important one. First of all, I know you have the booktuga Liberatara in the heart of palermo. I visited it, but, your actual office is are in the countryside. Tell us a little bit about where you are. The consortium, Liberatera Mediterranio, gathers the Liberatera cooperatives. Liberatera cooperatives are nine and, are located in four regions in South of Italy. Not all in Sicily, in Calabrio, in Campania, and in Apollo. Actually, our, offices of the consortium, are in San Jose Peyato, that is in the, but it's inland Sisal around the forty kilometer far from Palermo Southwest. And, this area is called the alto Bellage Corlionesum. Alto Bellage is the name of a river, alto, because it's the highest, the area in which the the river is born. And the river Village starts from, the the area where we are. So in, San Jose Pieto, and arrives in a Mediterranean sea. So in the opposite side of easily close to main theme. So in the Corlione, it's because Corlione is the main seat in this area. So the, first Liberatera cooperative that is called the, Plachador is also the Liberatera, was born in this area. Means that, this cooperative was born in two thousand and one. It was the first Libraetera cooperative started from this area. Great. Well, let's let's explain to our listeners exactly what libraetera is how it came about and a little bit about the history. Okay. Liberaterra is a is a reality that was born under the impulse of the association Libra around twenty years ago. And, today brings together nine social cooperatives and a consortium that is also a social and nonprofit cooperative. So the, Liberatera, our cooperatives, our social cooperatives, and pharma cooperatives that manage land and structures, companies from the organized crimes in, Sicily in Calabia, in Puya, and in Campania. The cultivation of confiscated lands and the production of products. So organic, high quality products become through the experience of Liberatera, a way to to stimulate, to push the economic and social change of those territories where we are, where the cooperatives are based. So Liberatera is a unique reality in the Italian agri food scenario because we are a group of operatives, we because we work on a confiscated lens, and those lens are not the owner of those lens are the the state because they are collective goods, public goods. So the cooperatives, manage those lens as a low and for use, This is important. First of all, our work is on not privately. I mean, cooperatives are a private subject. Okay. But work on collective goods. So this all of those elements makes our reality so unique. So just to be clear on this, the movement began with the aim of taking back control of lands that had been owned by organized crime by the mafia, the Kamora, other criminal groups and the law was actually passed that enables the state to take over the lands and then lease them back to projects that are deemed to be suitable, under Liberaterra. The birth of Liberaterra was made possible thanks to the Italian legislation. First of all, to contrast the mafia. And the Italian legislation is based on two pillars. First is the law nineteen eighty two. That is called Ronio Nillatorre. And the second one was the law nineteen ninety six that was reached. Thanks to Libber Association. Because, and, it's important to, to talk about those two steps, because first of all, the, one of the male goal that was pursued by the Italian glitches later from eighties and the first of all, in nineties was to weaken the, criminal organizations attacking their economic assets because it's thanks to their economic assets. They're or they own the economic power, they can have consensus. They can have power on the social of fabric and they can keep under immunities, territories, resources. So the the first law in nineteen eighty two has introduced two big innovations and in the fight against the mafia. So First of all, the definition of the mafia type association crimes in the Italian law, in the Italian system of law, that it didn't existed before. This kind of crime of mafia type association crimes that was the first time that was introduced to this kind of crime. I mean, it's a big thing. And, the second aspect that today's law introduced was a range of measures of patrimonian nature as says you're in confiscation to attack the mafia portion that was accumulated unlawfully. So this first step, first of all, okay, we need to say what what is mafia? And, we need to take away what they own and have accumulated unlawfully. But the main shortcoming of this law was that, the law didn't provide for, procedures for the reuse of confiscated property. So in nineteen ninety five, It was founded at the association Libra and Libra promoted a popular petition that was signed by more than one million people all over Italy. To support the Italian parliament to pass a law, allowing the social reuse of confiscated assets. And, the petition leads to the approval of a law, one zero nine in the nineteen and ninety six. So according to this law, the public local administrators, so a community municipalities are the owner of the confiscated assets and can grant the confiscated assets to third parties as organizations, our associations, social cooperatives, for the social and productive reuse of the confiscated assets. So thanks to to to the second law. Of course, the first law in nineteen eighty two and the second law. Libra can arrive with a then talking about Liberiter, in fact, but it was not in in mediat. In fact, in, two thousand, as to carry out the application of the law, nineteen and nineteen six, and, to show how the reuse of confiscated assets could be a an opportunity. Okay. A big opportunity for the economic development of of the territories freed from the mafia. Libra promoted the birth of Liberaterra project. Okay. So, Libra, Libra, free lands. It's a really positive and hopeful movement that's really gathered strength since this time. Absolutely. Yes. In two thousand and one, when the first Liberatera corporates was founded by means of public tender. No. This name, the, the cooperative is, not placido in Sicily. In the alto, Belice, so where we are based was absolutely the first kind, the first experiment, I mean, the first reality of a court working on on a confiscated assets in Italy. I mean, it was a big, big news. And, they started the the first cooperative started in working around one hundred hectares, just one hundred for the first time, cultivated with, Syria's most and just a small part of vineyards. In fact, in two thousand and two, it was the launch of the first Liberatera product that was passed, followed by many others. In fact, in the next years, starting from two thousand and five until two thousand fourteen, other Liberatera cooperatives were born. And all working under, the consortium, Liberatera, Meritaronio, brings together all of these products. And produce that are produced in the different cooperatives. Yeah. Yeah. Actually, the the consortium was born in two thousand and eight. And, it's a it's a business tool of Liberaterra because, it was established by the, by the cooperatives because the cooperatives, Liberatera, are the are the member of the consortium. Because, the purpose was to bring together the farming activities of each cooperatives. So each cooperative produce raw materials as, sirius, as, oranges, or, olives, or tomatoes. It it depends where the cooperatives are located. So the idea and the the idea of the consortium is to bring together the farming activities of each cooperative and valorizing the agricultural production. And, so processing the raw materials in finished products with the with the brand of Liberatera, and to face the market in just a single body. Okay. So the organization is this one. Behind, there are nine social cooperatives, farm cooperatives. Farm because the goal is to cultivate the lens organically, okay, producing the raw experience, then the consortium is focusing on processing the raw materials, but I need to to underline that, the consortium act, in order to put together all of the agriculture farming. Okay. When you, for example, see the libra terra pasta, libra terra pasta is, produced, thanks to the series that comes from all of the cooperatives, libra terra. Okay. It's not that just one product comes from just one cooperative and another from another. So it's a a really unique, reduction behind, then the consortium process the raw materials because the the consortium will work with their the parties, with a pasta factory, with a marmele factory, and at the end market, the products. And, you know, we produce around seventy different food and wine products. So it's important that, behind the areas are an important coordination Okay? Of course. Of course. Yeah. Well, let's let's turn to wine as one of those products. I know that the Chinto Pasi project is really the soul of the wine growing soul of Liberatera, and it starts where where the origins in Sicily of this Libraetera began, where you are in Sanders at Pajatto in this area? Can you tell us a little bit about it? First of all, where does the name Cento Pasi come from? The name Cento Pasi is the name of the wine division of Liberatera that is, based in Sicily. As a Liberatera, there is another wine division that is based in Napoleon. And the name is isotelarai. So we produce wine in Sicily and in Napoleon. As for Sicily, Chinto Paso is, linked to the name of, of a very famous, movie here, in, in Italy that tells about the story of the Pinen Pestato that was a young journalist that was killed by the, by the mafia. I mean, it's a important figure here because the pin and passato fought against the mafia and against his family that was part of the mafia of the genius where where he's born and where he used to leave. So he created a, radio that, and through this, very important tool that he broadcast to the the the presence of the mafia and the influence of the mafia and the economic affairs of the area. So we decided to use this name and to link this important figure, this important, brave, brave person. Okay. So, yes, it's a very powerful movie. I've seen it, and it really does, tell the story of the courage of people that that's, that have fought and stood up against against the mafia. And also, where the first cooperative, the placido risotto cooperative was formed is actually a very, very an area very well suited to high quality Viticulture. So it's a, it's a good place to be cultivating the native grape varieties of Sicily and producing a really impressive range of wines. Yes. It's a veterinarian. It's a corner of the Mediterranean region that is characterized by a broad landscape with a highlands, okay, located at a very high average altitude altitude ranging from three hundred meters on the sea level up to one thousand meters. The highest altitude is the peak of Montela Pizzuta that is on one thousand three hundred meters on the sea level. And all of the cinto passive vineyards are, are based in this area. So in the alto belize, we cultivate seventy hectares in organic farming with, mostly sicilian local grapes as a gridlock at Aratum, The the the actors of vineyards are farming by three Liberatara cooperatives. The three Liberatara cooperatives that are based in the in the after beli cocolonese. So, I mean, we produce around five hundred thousand bottles, and we produce three lines of wines, lines of placidoris also that is a blend of local and some international grapes that we, we found, and, we go ahead in the cultivation, you know, all of the actors, the interveners right now, some of those actors were already cultivated with Venus when the cooperative started in working the lens In other case, it was the decision of the cooperative considering the kind of soil, the kind of location to say, okay. In this lens, I think that the best way as to valorize the lens, okay, is to cultivate grapes. So we started in planting or replanting some particular varieties. For example, in, the highest vineyards that we cultivate is in Portella de La ginestra, and the vineyard is on, quite one thousand meters. It's a Wow. It's very, very high. Yeah. Spectacular area. And, it's just one hector and a half. And, we decided to cultivate at this altitude, Nerelomascalese, and, was a vineyard appointed in, twenty fourteen, so it was not preexistent. But it's a way to valorize this area. And we said, okay. We are in the out of, and here it's, it's come on to cultivate and but let's try how a variety of scenario that usually is cultivated and grown in the east part of Sicily in the ethnome area. Let's talk about our version of in this area that is characterized by this altitude and this kind of soil full of rocks. I mean, it's a charming area. First of all, and then, it's, linked to the story of this area because Pertela de La Genestra was, was the, theater of, soccer that was in nineteen forty, forty seven. Yes. That that was a famous outrage with that that massacre. Yeah. And in fact, all of the main vineyards or the vineyards that produce some of the flagship wines are linked to where the lands were confiscated. In fact, even down to the clans from whom they were confiscated. For example, I particularly like the Cartarato from the Terrerosedi Jabacho, a really expressive, almost floral expression of this great sicilian native, great variety, and it's, It's very interesting to note that that was, land confiscated from the, the Bruceka clan. So, so Liberaterra is very clear in making with these wines letting people know the origins of the lands. That's part of the important message too. Is that right? Yeah. Absolutely. I mean, in, in our range of crew wines, so one hundred percent variety coming from one single vineyards, the name of the of the, the name of the wines is linked to the kind of soil and the name of the area in which the vineyards are located. So the it's kind, kind of identity card, but it's it's important because, I mean, we exist and we want to valorize the area in which we are. So, taking the best of these. And, we do this, first of all, with an approach that is, avoiding the standard approach, but, have a tailored management of each vineyards, focusing on the specific characteristics of each vineyards during the the complete year. We put so many high attention on the timing of the harvest and, of course, with the organic meat or the, I mean, in in, wine's, product, but in, it's kind of fruit products. So the idea is absolutely to, focus on the quality and starting from in each aspect of them, of the faces from the agricultural side to the end of the product. So because it's through the, through putting it on the market and the selling and commercialize the, I mean, the best product so we can produce, is a way to know Liberatera, and it's a way to let our reality be, roast, professor, and be in in the not only today, but have a long perspective. Our, Gen Topassi proves how far we can get, starting from the reuse of confiscated lands, because, I mean, we, we are in the most important international wind markets, London, and in New York, Hong Kong, and the gentle bus are appreciated in the most important wine's guide. Not not because they come from campus scale lands, because or they because their quality. The quality of the products. Yeah. Absolutely. This is the most important aspect for us at focusing and, all of the efforts is on the quality of the products. And, so when, Chantopassie can reach some high point, and some high recognitions. I mean, we are proud of this. Of course. And, well, quality also is behind as you're saying, everything that the cooperatives produce. Let's talk about some of the food products. That Liberatera produces in which Liberatera Medi Antonio is involved in processing and indeed marketing. Yeah. We produce, many kind of products from past beef with, bakery products, legumes, extra virgin olive oil, and preserves, marmalades, lequers. We produce a mozzarella to dairy products, in, in Campania, one of the cooperatively that is based in company on a a cafe feature. And, we do seasonal fruits and vegetables too. I still have an idea about our range of products. I think, we can focus on one of the most appreciated the food products. And it is our tomato passata is, tomato sauce made. The name is passata, Sequania. Circania means, with no irrigation. It's a kind of tomato so that we cultivate it with no with no irrigation. And the end, the products are the only ingredients that it is in the products is just the tomatoes with no kind of adding of salt of extra virgin olive oil because, the tomato is so concentrated and so salty, be because of the tomato itself, that, we don't need to put other ingredients to equilibrate, to changing something. And, this is one of the most appreciated food products because it's essential And we succeed in knowing this because we cultivate this kind of tomato in the okay. I go back to the wines because we've activated this kind of tomato in after Belice at the altitude I saved for the for the grapes. This means that, thanks to the humidity that we have during the nights, we, don't need to put the water, not irrigation in the in the tomatoes, and it's hand harvesting. And, hand harvesting and, a long harvesting because we harvest when the tomato series three. So sometimes the, the the harvest is from July, from August until, sometimes October. So it's very long harvest, but it's important because it's thanks to the, perfect raw materials, the perfect tomatoes, and for its inner characteristics that we can have a passata. This is just tomatoes. And I know it could be weird because, I mean, because it is tomato, okay, but it's so appreciated because, there is no no other ingredients. And just the the tomatoes is the the tomato is the, I mean, the the the essential, a perfect product. So with no that no need other things. That that sounds absolutely delicious. And I guess you're producing that, coming on a volta, the way people used to do at home, and now that these people don't have time to do this. So you're really returning to the roots of, of, of, of both Sicily and Southern Italian cuisine. Yeah. Exactly. You know, this is a essential product. Okay. So just the matters, but it's true that we we produce other kind of products that are, most important recipe, because they are linked to, to regional tradition as, caponata, okay, that is our recipe with eggplants, so common in Sicily or, the Territos that is common in the in Napoleon. The cooperative in Napulia is based, in, Alto Salento. So, we produce their, the cherry tomatoes, with the crevilla, gin olive oil, and, so it's, it's a kind of, cherry tomatoes, mid dried as it's common in this area. So, our idea, I mean, it's, that, we have a strong link, very strong link with the with the territory where we are. And we try to to, talk about this link. Working with, I mean, through our products, thanks to the names, thanks to the traditional recipe. As a, I mean, our link to the territories, it's important. And, first of all, it's through our work, it's through Liberaterra, the selling of products and the cultivation of, of of the lands that we promised our virtual and sustainable economic system. So based on the lawfulness, social justice, marketability, that is alternative to the criminal and the corrupted, the mafia economic system that was it was already present. So the the mission is to give back value, okay, dignity, and beauty to to the territories, to this it is where we are that are difficult, but we know that, I mean, we need to give value back, okay, to to territories and to people. Yes. I I'm I'm really appreciating the the strong moral values behind the movement, but I love the way it also expresses itself through the production of simple honest products like the passata, like pasta foods that people eat every day, not specialty foods, but which people can really connect to the land directly when they eat. And I know on the website, you've got a lot of regional recipes utilizing the products too. So it's, It's a very important movement. I'm really glad you've been able to join us today and share the story. You know, it's a very hopeful story out of situations that I'm sure at times have seemed hopeless. And so I wish you all the best with the development of Liberatera. Now the products are available if people are in palermo in the but also online is do you do you ship outside of Italy? Yeah. We can ship outside Italy too. Yeah. Yeah. For private. And, we work with a importer and distributors too depending on the countries. So Okay. And I know the wines have, have are are exported as well. They're found in markets internationally. Yeah. Yeah. Absolutely. Okay. And the, web address for the, is that, bottega libreterra dot it? Yeah. Exactly. It's for it. Okay. So people can find out more there. Well, today, it's been a real pleasure talking to you this morning. Thank you very much for joining us. I'm really glad we've been able to share this important story. Thank you. Graci Marka, and thank you to you all. And I hope to see you here. I'm visiting our area. I hope so too. I look forward to meeting you again. Chao. We hope you enjoyed today's episode of wine, food, and travel. With me, Mark Millen, on Italian wine podcast. Please remember to like, share, and subscribe cribe, right here, or wherever you get your pods. Likewise, you can visit us at Italian wine podcast dot com. Until next time. Hi, guys. I'm Joy Livingston, and I am the producer of the Italian wine podcast. Thank you for listening. 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