Inaugurated the Cantina Centopassi
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Tuesday, October 27 2009, the Consorzio Sviluppo e Legalità (Development and Legality Consortium) and the association Libera Terra (Free Land) inaugurated the Cantina Centopassi (One Hundred Step Winery), set on real estate properties confiscated from Mafia boss Giovanni Genovesi, located in Contrada Don Tomaso - San Cipirello, in the province of Palermo.
The winery is managed by the Cooperative Placido Rizzotto, on an area of 17 thousand square meters (about 183 thousand square feet), surrounded by six hectares (around 15 acres) of land, confiscated from the Mafia as well.
The winery will produce wine from quality white grapes, including Chardonnay, Catarratto and Grillo, as well as red grapes, including Nero d'Avola, Syrah, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Perricone, grown in the vineyards of the Development and Legality Consortium. The production volume is of 2,100 hectoliters (55,476 gallons), or around 280,000 bottles par year. Each wine will be dedicated to a victim of the Sicilian Mafia. The winery was established with funds provided by the Italian Ministry of the Interior.
Father Don Luigi Ciotti, president of the association Libera Terra, opened his inaugural speech with a quote from Giovanni Falcone, "... the mafiosi's wealth and profit must be hit hard," and went on to say that "... this winery has the strength to carry on the action needed. We truly need to come together, consortiums, prefectures, associations and the sensible part of the local community, to exercise the responsible behavior and bravery which represent the true structure of our society", added Father Ciotti.
Inauguration Cantina Centopassi (Italian TV)
"Once again today the dream of Pio La Torre becomes a reality," added the president of Libera Terra, "but there is the need to do more on an ongoing basis, to confiscate more properties, find out where they are hidden, untie knots and overcome the problems which hide the fair distribution [of the confiscated properties]. The confiscation of these properties is the reaffirmation of legality principles as well as civic redemption which we have brought forward for the first time right here in Sicily. This is an experience which has multiplied year after year throughout the whole country, establishing a new economy which promotes development and new life."
"Behind the grapes cultivated on confiscated properties, there is the teaching that comes from the earth. The earth generates, earth is the mother who teaches us how to be constantly responsible, patient, able to wait, to perceive our limitations, and how to persist. What is inaugurated here today is a concrete example of humanization of the territory. In fact, as the roots of the plants dig deep into the earth, thus the roots of our society must expand horizontally, from person to person. Because legality begins within the consciousness of each one of us, as written rules and laws are not enough. The horizon of utopia is not in the future, but in the present, in the day-to-day commitment, in participating. Utopia," concluded Don Ciotti, "it is transforming interest into passion, recognizing the hope hidden within our fear, because the wealth of democracy is brought by by those who have the bravery to bring forward these types of projects, as the article 4 of the [Italian] Constitution teaches us."
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