CANTINA DI SOLOPACA

When in the year  1966 twenty-five farmers  decided to form the "Cantina Sociale di Solopaca - Cooperative Society with limited liability", they were intended to operate for the increase and the defense of the winemaking heritage of the area of the "Solopaca" and progress economic and social importance of agriculture.

The territory of Solopaca  was always cultivated with vineyards and olive groves with a skill that has been refining over time. Here the screw located in the hills and in the nature of the land its ideal environment, producing a ruby red wine with a delicate aroma, sharp flavor, extremely pleasant and soft mellowness with an alcohol content of between 12 and 13 degrees. The white wine has the scent of Malvasia and a harmonious and velvety taste with an alcohol content ranging between 11.50 and 12 degrees.

By decree of the President of the Republic, published in the Official Gazette dated 01.30.1974, the wine Solopaca got the  recognition of controlled origin (DOC) . The dream of twenty-five farmers, who were joined by another 600, was realized and they saw the Cantina Sociale that finally materialized with its grand complex is a major economic reality for Solopaca and throughout the production area, which extends on both sides of Calore River. In fact, in the area of "Solopaca", in addition to land Solopaca, fall also those of common Castelvenere Sanframondi Guard, San Lorenzo Maggiore, and the municipalities of Cerreto Samnite, Faicchio, Frasso Telesino, Melizzano, San Lorenzello, San Salvatore Telesino and Telese.

Of course it was very hard to convince growers of the goodness of cooperation and the transfer of the grapes to the winery and Social evade the rules of buying and selling the grapes are not always human that took place every year at the Maria Cristina Bridge  at a price set unilaterally by the buyers.

This is evident from the data of the assignment of grapes to the cooperative.

The members  conferred in 1972 34 150 tons of grapes in 1973, 33,870 tons in 1974, 31,920 tons in 1975 and 43,000 tons in 1976 to around 32,000 tons. In short, in 1976 about 30,000 tons of grapes were going to feed the market of grapes down to the Maria Cristina Bridge. These winemakers, driven by economic requirements, preferred to sell their grapes through brokers, dealers because they had the opportunity to pocket the money immediately, but at a price that, on balance, was slightly higher than the average paid by the Cantina Sociale. The system of payment to shareholders was made n this way: A deposit 15-20 days after the assignment of grapes, another advance in May and the balance at the balance sheet date.

The grower  who sold their grapes had a mistrust of cooperation because impregnated by centuries of individualism and especially because it attracted only by the certainty and security of having your own money in your pocket immediately. Of course, over the years these fears and worries are gone and winemakers have all become members of the cooperative and you are convinced that you have so be sure to place your own product every year to an average market price. Consequently, the market of grapes which was held each year on the right bank of the river Calore disappeared for lack of sellers.

Today the Cantina Sociale Solopaca, with a production of 150,000 hectoliters, working at full capacity while continuing to produce and bottle wine quality and special flavors and ancient to the delight of the palate of consumers and supporting almost alone throughout the economy zonal, which is based exclusively on the cultivation of the vine and wine production.