by Umberto Gambino
The president of the Consortium is using the denomination’s half-century of history as a lever for relaunch: agreements between producers, an identity day, signs on the territory, wine tourism and national masterclasses
On the hills overlooking the Strait of Messina, where vineyards cling to unforgiving slopes and Calabria seems within reach, winemaking is still a labor of love. These are the lands of the Lighthouse, named after the lighthouse at Capo Peloro. It is one of Italy’s smallest appellations: on December 3rd, it turns fifty. Stelio Verzera, the young new president who has been leading the Consortium for a few months, has decided that the anniversary will not be a birthday celebration but a building site.
Mr. President, fifty years. Are we celebrating or relaunching?
“Both, but the second is more important. We open on December 3rd, the day of ministerial recognition, and close on March 4th, the anniversary of its publication in the Official Journal in 1977. In between, there’s a program that must leave something behind after the candles are blown.”
Who will you invite?
We’ve designed three audiences: an institutional event, one open to the public, and one reserved for the press and industry professionals. These are three different languages, all of which we find useful.
Let’s start with the problem. What is it?
“I’ll put it bluntly: we make a high-quality wine that’s almost invisible outside of Sicily. This is the gap we need to fill.”
Why does a Faro DOC struggle to make itself known?
Because producing here requires sacrifice. We’re talking about heroic viticulture: rugged terrain, almost all work done by hand, a hot climate. And there’s a restriction few are aware of: irrigation is allowed only as “emergency water” in the first three years after planting. After that, the vineyard lives off what the heavens send, year after year.
And who makes this wine?
“Small businesses, often families. High-quality craftsmanship, but very few marketing resources. No one can afford to go to Milan or Rome alone to present their work.”
Hence the choice to team up.
“Exactly. The first lever is internal cohesion. We want to initiate agreements among members to create synergies that have never existed before. Producers working side by side without speaking to each other: that has to end.”
There is also talk of a “Doc Faro day”.
“We want to officially establish it, most likely on December 3rd. An annual ritual, an event that defines our identity. Names are also recognized by the dates they can assign themselves.”
And on the ground, what will be seen?
Signs. It may seem like little, but it’s not. Today, those who arrive here often don’t know they’re within the territory of a historic DOC. We want widespread signage that marks the boundaries of the denomination and identifies the participating wineries. The territory must declare itself.
Is wine tourism a gamble or a reality?
“It’s already a reality, but it needs to be consolidated. Many wineries offer not only tastings but also hospitality. We need to transform the visit into a stay, the glass into a complete experience.”
And the second lever, external visibility?
We’ll organize masterclasses nationwide, aimed at experts and sommeliers. It’s a deliberate choice: first, we build our reputation among those who talk about and recommend wine, then we reach the general public. Starting from the bottom, with the numbers we have, would be a waste of energy.
Times?
The opening and closing dates are set. Conventions, the day, signs, and masterclasses are scheduled. We’ll finalize the timing in the next steps.
In fifty years, what would you like to be said about this fiftieth anniversary, which has now become a centenary?
«That was the year the Lighthouse stopped being a secret for a few.»
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