AMARO NIVES ELIXIR DEL MONTE SIRINO

FraNik srls.
The first steps
From the passion for historical research to the production of Nives
In 2012 began the enlightening and passionate journey of Giuseppe and Milena Falabella, a dentist and a lawyer and tax judge. With the precious contribution of other friends they founded the cultural association 'A Castagna Ra Critica', which immediately became an ideal place for discussion, exchange of ideas, historical research, continuous planning aimed at the rediscovery of the interesting history, culture , art, tradition and personalities who over the centuries have left an unmistakable mark on the succession of events in the village of the Valle del Noce: Lagonegro. And they rediscover a lively and vital community, today as yesterday, in the almost symbiotic relationship with the Kingdom of Naples.
Among the atmospheres of the alleys of the historic center, fantasizing and discussing with friends, questioning the older people as a historical memory of the place, extremely interesting cultural projects mature year after year. Among these is The Art of Dining, an engaging immersion in the culinary tradition of the monks of the Certosa di Padula - ""the heart of the domestic environment"" - created in collaboration with Prof. Giuseppe Aromando. The Lagonegro Opera Festival project, aimed at remembering the fame of the village in the great opera of the last decades of the eighteenth century. This is demonstrated by the quotes present in the musical librettos of the playful operas of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Pasquale Anfossi. Among these we remember La Finta Giardiniera, performed in Rome in 1774 - with music by Pasquale Anfossi - and set in the possessions of the Podestà of Lagonegro, Don Anchise. The creation of the tourist itinerary called Hunting for flying herbs, a tourist, botanical, naturalistic, artistic, food and wine route within the ancient walls of Lagonegro. And many others. Over time, the intense commitment makes a considerable contribution to the recovery of identity, of the sense of belonging, and enlivens the image of the village, gradually removing the shadow of anonymity and oblivion.
From historical research and reading documents from the past, Giuseppe and Milena Falabella learn about the extraordinary journey - which began at the end of the nineteenth century - of the Lucanian entrepreneur Luigi De Maio who, by rediscovering the botanical and aromatic properties of the medicinal herbs of Monte Sirino, arrived at the formula of Il Nettare del Sirino, a liqueur that will become very famous in Southern Italy. The success of the product led him to experiment with new markets until reaching the International Exhibition in Milan in 1906. In the special section dedicated to Basilicata - the collective exhibition - Il Nettare del Sirino found its regal exhibition together with other products, the most sought after and original (hats, fabrics, soaps, objects made of wood).
And... ™ in this scenario and in honor of the brilliant past of the village of Lagonegro that the idea of ​​producing a liqueur with a special taste is becoming increasingly alive: Nives Elixir of Mount Sirino. In 2020 Giuseppe and Milena Falabella founded the FraNik Company and began the production of that perfect formula, which they arrived at after years of research.
The meeting
The knowledge of the Lagonegrese entrepreneur De Maio strongly inspires Giuseppe and Milena Falabella in their research work on the ancient recipe. Determined to want to deal with the production of a liqueur, such as an elixir with beneficial properties, they shift their interest to the exceptional botanical value of the medicinal herbs of Monte Sirino. An uninterrupted work of census of herbs begins - with the consultation of pharmacists and herbalists - and of experimenting with tastes, dosages and combinations to achieve the perfect alchemy. The gentian, defined by the Lagonegresi as ""queen of Sirino"", becomes the distinctive note of the original formula, which the founders jealously preserve.
Nives, an aura of sacredness
The characteristics of the medicinal herbs are intertwined with the thousand-year history and with the spirituality that permeates the valleys and plateaus of Monte Sirino, where the Sanctuary of the Madonna della Neve. It is from religious devotion that the idea of ​​dedicating the elixir specialties to the 'Virgin of the Mountain' was born. The religious spirit and the aura of sacredness enrich the symbolic value of the herbs, which over the centuries have been treated as thaumaturgical. The ancient inhabitants of the Lagonegro area - as reported by various testimonies transmitted orally - used to boil the herbs collected on Monte Sirino to make decoctions, recognized as therapeutic and healing.
Design meets innovation
The project Nives Elixir del Monte Sirino continues its study to create a bottle with an unmistakable, modern design that is in step with the times. The meeting between the founders and the creative Pino Colonna from Altamura leads to the creation of a stylized shape and modern colours, with a design that manages to stand out in a variety of products already known on the market for the production of liqueurs and spirits .