he history of Melissa is bound up, in origin, with the legend of Melisseus, a Cretan prince who is said to have gone to Sicily with Minos. After his leader's death, the hero left the island and was driven by the wind along the Ionian coast of Calabria. He eventually landed at the site of the modern town of Melissa, where he founded a colony that was named for him.His followers practiced agriculture and developed great skill in the growing of grapes and the making of wine. Through their industry, they transformed the surrounding countryside into a vast, lush vineyard. Their wine was highly appreciated for its scent, sweetness and refined flavor.
Experts hold that the name Melissa is derived from a Greek expression for "sweetness," the opposite of the term Cirò ˜, which implies "sharpness" or "bitterness." The names reflect the characteristics of the wine produced in the two neighboring zones, in keeping with consolidated usage of identifying the territory with the wine it yields.
In the Roman period, Melissa was celebrated as a district of excellent wines by the poet Ovid and the naturalist Pliny the Elder. From that time to the present, winemaking has flourished in the area. In recent years, a colid and modern structure has been established for the processing of the grapes of outstanding quality produced by the diligently cultivated vineyards.
