At the eighth in the “Squisito” series on the theme of “a return to simplicity” a whole variety of Italian and International chefs, cellars and professional and amateur food experts were involved.
In the section “GoodGoods”, there was a stand dedicated to Cremisan, in a project of solidarity by the Salesians of Don Bosco in collaboration with volunteers from the International Volunteer Movement for Development (VIS).
The VIS Volunteers brought two new red wines, “Baladi” and “Cabernet Souvignon” (2009) together with the familiar whites, “Daboùki”, “Handani-Jandali” and “Star of Bethlehem” from the 2009-2010 harvest at Cremisan. The decision to present and to produce only a limited number of wines – compared with the 20 or so a few years ago - was taken by the Salesians in Cremisan after consulting the enologist Riccardo Cotarella, who for a number of years free of charge had been advising the Salesians on their wine production.
The proceeds from the sale of the Cremisan wines are used to provide scholarships for disadvantaged youngsters and to support the Salesian training school which took the place of the previous orphanage. The vineyard covers 15 hectares at Bet Jamal, in Israeli territory and 10 hectares at Shaffa, 15 kilometres to the south eat of Bethlehem, in the Palestinian area. Another 5 hectares, shortly to be increased to 10 are on the Cremisan hill cut in half by the Israeli-Palestine frontier and a wall which still be built there separates the two States.
In spite of the difficulties the local population is very attached to the land and to the cellar. Emanuela Chiang, the coordinator of the VIS project says: “The people working with us are very attached; the country people and those working in the winery are very grateful to the Salesians, who have always helped them”.
Published 04/05/2011
