Our History
The history of Essenza Mediterranea has its roots in the Middle Ages and is intertwined with the history of Altomonte,
little village in the heart of the Magna Grecia, where small groups of monks and hermits, coming from Sicily and the East, settled in the early years of the XI century.
Thus begun in the year of 1021 the alchemical tradition of this small village.
Altomonte owes its development to Robert d’Altavilla, known as the Guiscard, and his wife, the Sichelgaita princess. During the campaign to conquer Calabria, that began around 1050, this Norman commander made built a norman towerand the Church of Santa Maria dei Franchi next to it, actually founding what isnowadays considered as one the most beautiful italian villages.
Sichelgaita of Salerno, Robert Guiscard’s wife, above was not only a warrior princess but also one of the mulieres salernitanae, experienced herbalist of the prestigious Schola Medica Salernitana, the main medical institution in Europe in the Middle Ages.
1050
Sichelgaita
and Robert the Guiscard
The first Benedectine settlement in Altomonte was born in 1085 thanks to Sichelgaita’s will, which gave rise to the long monastic and alchemical tradition of that small village in the heart of Magna Grecia.
Starting form the second half of the XI century, different monastic orders followed one another in the land of Altomonte – Benedectine, Dominican and Franciscan. From deep researchers and connoisseurs of officinal herbs the monks turned to experts of natural medicine, experimenting during the centuries, the production of healing toners.
1085
The monks and the pharmacopeia of Altomonte
1879
Giacobini
Company, royal
factory of liqueurs
After the changing of the monastic pharmacopeia, the tradition remained in the art of liqueur-making and in 1879 in Altomonte the Giacobini family founded the company which became not only the Royal factory of liqueurs but also the larger reality in the Bourbon kingdom, producing different internationally multi-awarded specialties as vermouth, xeresand different elixirs and rosoli made of local herbs and citrus.
It is precisely in this historic company where Carlo Moliterno, founder of the family and of the homonymous company , began his adventure. In 1938, after the closure of the Giacobini company, he fulfilled his dream, starting his company of liqueurs and sodas made only of local products.
1939
Moliterno
family
2020
Essenza
Mediterranea
Nowadays Vittorio Gargaglione, one of the heir of Moliterno Family, is part of this long path, characterised by a centuries-old tradition, passed down from father to son. These are the foundation of Essenza Mediterranea, a new project in addition to the activity of the family, with the aim of enhancing and promoting the land and the wonders of the Mediterranean, exceptional stage of this heroic history.
Our products are developed starting from the processing of ancient recipes, developed by monks through the centuries, a journey of senses through time, history and centuries-oldtradition, an original and authentic celebration of the mediterranean essence.