Vittorio Cimiotta
Candido Italy – Sicilian Wine Production
Dedication for work, culture for quality, respect for the customer!
The Orazio Candido Agricultural Company was founded in 1996 in the prosperous and flourishing County of Modica [a UNESCO World Heritage Site] which traces its roots back to 1226. The county existed until 1817 and had a long history of prosperity and a culture of hard work. Under various rulers its culture, art and Baroque architectural treasures became well-known. The vine-growing tradition in this area began with the establishment of its Greek colonies [700 – 600 BC] and brings us up to the present day in our commitment to the conservation of the area and its ancient traditions. We have brought back to the area its lost love of wine. Phylloxera hit the Modican vine-growing area hard but destiny played a part, leading us to fall in love with the fascinating valleys of the Cipolluzze district which was once totally abandoned and where the famous
agronomist Clemente Grimaldi devoted time to his hobby of vine-growing and studied. It is to him that we owe the planting of the first American vines and, by creating many hybrids with these and indigenous vines, he really saved the island’s viticulture which, as we have seen, suffered so much because of phylloxera. Next, the Candido family of wine producers entered the story: The father, Giorgio, had acquired some wonderful vineyards in the beautiful Noto Valley, inspiring his hard-working children as they discovered land with many hectares of vineyards. These were, at one time, the pride of “Mou’rica” [in Sicilian dialect], the county seat, whose territory extended as far as the boundaries of Siracusa in the east, including the island of Malta, and Alcamo and Calatafimi in the west.
The company is committed to conserving the natural conditions of this part of Sicily and to using revised techniques updated by modern technology in order to transform the fruit of the land into wine. Orazio and his brothers guarantee the quality and unique taste of the wines they produce in the hope of obtaining the approval of a discerning public.
The Vineyard Odisseo
Behind the Vendicari Natural Park on the sea, in the gentle slope, where Summer reigns in Winter, among almond orchards in bloom generous with sugared almonds, fertile lands of cherry tomatoes and cantaloupes, honest fruit trees, triumph of citrus fruits, there our vineyard. On the horizon in the sea you can see the Island of the Currents. Not far away on the dry banks of the Tellaro, in the land of Eloro, here are the ruins of a sumptuous Roman villa, splendid with mosaics, which narrate episodes of the Iliad and great hunts at fairs, refinements and worship of some illustrious toga of Rome. “Together with the Falerno, Cyprus and Cretese wines, he will surely have considered the prince of his triclinium, Eloro”.
To our father, Giorgio Candido.
As it was for Alessandro Manzoni’s walnut tree in his novel “The Betrothed”, so it was for us in our vineyard! The constant fall in grape prices led us, too, to bare the roots of our vines to the sun. However, one day, at lunch with friends, we were praising the food and good wine when the host replied, “You know, some forgetful people here want to deprive us of it. They haven’t noticed that they’ve been drinking wine from their own grapes!” A few good-natured grumbles ensued as he was, of course, talking about our selfishness!
