The weather was kind and the tenth edition of the regional event “Su Piriciò” was a success in Villanovaforru. A thousand people came from all over Southern Sardinia and beyond, pouring in and animating a festively decorated Piazza Constitutionum. The undisputed protagonist of the evening was Su Piriciolu , a product of the peasant tradition. The event was in doubt due to the downpour that hit the town during the afternoon.
Su Piriciolu is a grape drink that cannot be considered a real wine, the relevant legislation does not allow it. It is ready about a month after the harvest and is obtained by pressing the pomace with the addition of freshly warmed water and a small percentage of must (or sugar) which restarts the fermentation. The product can be seen as one of the symbols of poverty that characterized peasant culture, or it can also be interpreted as a symbol of abuse because it was the wine that is meris (the owners) gave to is serbidoris (the servants, the workers), since these were not considered worthy of drinking a wine made from grapes alone.
And in the competition, there were 31 of these drinks, coming from upper and lower Marmilla: from Collinas, Furtei, Gonnosnò, Gonnostramatza, Mogoro, Sanluri, Sardara, Segariu, Villamar and Villanovaforru. The winner for the technical jury prize was piriciolu number 28, produced by Antonio Pusceddu from Villanova. The popular jury prize goes to drink number 5 produced by Efisio Mandis, also from Villanova. All other products came in joint second place.
«The event aims to rediscover peasant traditions by promoting the uniqueness and authenticity of food products», as they say from the Don Piriciò Confraternity, a group of twenty local people, passionate about traditions, who have organized the event since the first edition. But in Constitution Square there were many typical products available: cured meats, cheeses and traditional hot dishes such as pasta and beans and tripe with chickpeas.
Su Piriciolu, in its local variations, is a drink well known since ancient times. The Romans already obtained a second wine from the fermentation of pressing waste with the addition of water, which they called . In Ciociaria and lower Lazio, but also in Tuscany and Campania, the product is well known by the name of , and a festival is held in Patrica. In Puglia it is called because it is drinkable for the celebrations of all saints. In Calabria it is called .
