The history of the company begins in 1830, when the brothers Don Lucio and Don Carmelo Mastrogiovanni Tasca acquired the former Regaleali feud of about 1,200 hectares in the countryside near Sclafani, on the border between the provinces of Palermo and Caltanissetta. The entire property was managed by Lucio Baron Tasca von Regaleali, who with his example decisively shaped the whole agricultural industry of Sicily. Prof. A. Scifò describes him as an excellent entrepreneur: "It was Don Lucio Tasca, Baron of Regaleali, who promoted the real agricultural progress of the system of farmsteads with large estates in Sicily".
The eponymous successor and grandson Lucio, first Count Tasca of Almerita, immediately took over the management of the farm with enthusiasm. In the "Annals of Sicilian Agriculture" (1854-56) the Regaleali farm is described in detail by Nicolò Turrisi Colonna and Professor Giuseppe Insegna, the most famous and authoritative agricultural experts of the time, citing it as a model farm that is presented as an example for the whole of Sicily. Furthermore, Prof. A. Scifò writes: “The young Lucio Count Tasca of Almerita, in addition to inheriting fortune, also inherited the talent of running an extensive agricultural enterprise for the common good”, and Turrisi Colonna wished that this could serve as an example for the landowning class so that they might enjoy rural life, as was the case with the English landowners, the so-called landlords, who had exercised so great an influence on the agricultural, economic, and civic progress of their country.
Even then, the wines of Regaleali were famous. In the menus of the Countess of Almerita, born Princess of Trabia and Butera, a very respected noblewoman of the European high society of the time (1840 - 1890), one reads next to the names of the best wines of France and Germany: "Regaleali white and Regaleali red". In 1871, Regaleali wine was awarded a Medal of Honor at the Syracuse Exhibition.
The Count of Almerita died in 1892. His successor on Regaleali was the second son Giuseppe Tasca Lanza, deputy, senator of the kingdom and twice mayor of Palermo. In 1922, with great dedication and skill, Count Lucio Tasca Bordonaro took over the management of the Regaleali company, reviving the splendor of the times of his eponymous grandfather. He tripled the area of the vineyards and enlarged the wine cellar accordingly. Giuseppe Count Tasca of Almerita, the only son, inherited all the land and love for it. In the meantime, however, the enactment of the agricultural reform resulted in the expropriation of part of the original 1,200 hectares, which was reduced to around 500 hectares.
From 1957, Giuseppe Graf Tasca, with the help of his wife, Baroness Franca Cammarata, took over all responsibility for the management of the company and devoted himself exclusively to the company, aiming at the cultivation and production of vines, introducing significant innovations for this purpose. Count Giuseppe had four children: Anna, Costanza, Rosemarie and Lucio, who now runs the business. Among other things, Count Giuseppe - who, like his father, was awarded the title of Knight of the Order of Labor - introduced espalier vine cultivation, which had never been used for must grapes in this area, and renovated the wine cellars and the associated facilities in the early 1960s. These innovations increased the total capacity to 60,000 hectoliters; He also acquired numerous chestnut barrels of 50 to 60 hectoliters each, which have since been replaced by French oak barrels and casks.
TASCA CONTI D’ALMERITA
Via dei Fiori, 13
90129 Palermo
