Ermes

1968: Earthquake in the Belice Valley On the night of 14–15 January 1968, an earthquake of enormous scale destroyed parts of the small towns of the Belice Valley: Gibellina, Salaparuta, Poggioreale, Partanna, Santa Ninfa, Salemi, Santa Margherita di Belice, Montevago and Sambuca di Sicilia. ### 1998: Founding of Cantine Ermes A group of young winemakers chose to make a new start on the same land that the earthquake had taken from local people, setting out on a path of social and economic growth. This is how Cantine Ermes was founded, with its headquarters in the heart of the Belice Valley, between the municipalities of Gibellina and Santa Ninfa. ### Today Cantine Ermes is one of the island's most important production facilities. The cooperative has 2257 members who own 10,453 hectares of vineyards, including 2786 hectares farmed using organic and biodynamic methods. Most of the vineyards lie across the provinces of Trapani, Agrigento and Palermo, where local and native grape varieties are grown.

Cantine Ermes is headquartered in the heart of the Belice Valley, between the municipalities of Gibellina and Santa Ninfa, in Sicily. Most of the cooperative's vineyards lie across the provinces of Trapani, Agrigento and Palermo.

2786 hectares of the cooperative's vineyards are farmed using organic and biodynamic methods. Local and native grape varieties are grown across the provinces of Trapani, Agrigento and Palermo.

The founding winemakers set out on a path of social and economic growth for the Belice Valley, choosing to make a new start on the same land that the 1968 earthquake had taken from local people.