Tag: Wine Tourism

Celebrating Pioneering Young Women in Wine: A Journey Through Four Exceptional Wine Gems of Italy

In the world of wine, the contributions of young women or vignaiole Italiane continue to shape the industry in profound ways. From across Italy’s rolling vineyards, these remarkable women are creating wines that speak of tradition, innovation, and a deep connection to the land. Here, we spotlight four extraordinary wineries led by passionate young women who are making waves in the Italian wine world: Noemi Pizzighella, Angela Fronti, Laura DeVito, and Arianna Occhipinti.

Le Guaite di Noemi: A Symphony of Tradition and Terroir in the Valpolicella, Veneto

Noemi Pizzighella, the driving force behind Le Guaite, is a young and highly respected winemaker in Veneto. Growing up in the vineyards of Mezzane di Sotto, north of Verona, Noemi was immersed in the rich viticultural traditions of her family. Her father, Stefano Pizzighella, started a small olive oil production in 1987, making the most of the family’s olive groves. Inspired by her father’s dedication, Noemi developed her passion for winemaking as a child.

Wines
Le Guaite’s portfolio includes the celebrated Amarone della Valpolicella, known for its rich, robust profile with notes of dark fruit, spice, and a velvety finish. The Valpolicella Superiore is another standout, offering a harmonious balance of red berries, herbs, and subtle oak. Noemi’s meticulous attention to detail ensures that each bottle embodies the essence of the region. Noemi’s wines include: Recioto della Valpolicella, Valpolicella Ripasso, Valpolicella Superiore, Amarone della Valpolicella, and Tano IGT Rosso Veronese. These wines are celebrated for their fresh and fruity nuances, distancing themselves from the opulence of certain other Valpolicella wines.

Visiting Le Guaite
A visit to Le Guaite offers a serene and intimate experience. The winery is situated in the picturesque hills of Mezzane di Sotto, providing stunning views of the surrounding vineyards. Guests can enjoy guided tours of the vineyards and cellars, followed by a tasting of Noemi’s exquisite wines. The experience is enhanced by Noemi’s personal touch, as she often shares her insights and stories behind each vintage. The combination of volcanic and marine soil, along with the breezes from Lake Garda, creates a unique terroir that is reflected in every bottle.

www.leguaite.it

Istine: Angela Fronti’s Tribute to Chianti Classico, Tuscany

Angela Fronti, the visionary behind Istine, brings a fresh perspective to Chianti Classico. Growing up in a family deeply rooted in the winemaking traditions of Tuscany, Angela was inspired by the vineyards that surrounded her childhood home. Determined to carve out her own path in the wine world, she pursued viticulture with a focus on organic farming and sustainable practices. Angela’s journey as a woman in the wine industry has been one of resilience and innovation, constantly pushing the boundaries of traditional winemaking.

Wines
Istine’s Chianti Classico wines are vibrant and elegant, characterized by bright cherry, earthy undertones, and a refreshing acidity. The Riserva offers a more complex profile with layers of red fruit, tobacco, and a lingering finish. The single-vineyard selections are particularly noteworthy, offering a deeper exploration of the terroir with complex flavors. Angela’s wines are a true reflection of her commitment to excellence and sustainability.

Visiting Istine
Nestled in the heart of Radda in Chianti, Istine provides a quintessential Chianti Classico experience. Visitors can explore the organically farmed vineyards and learn about Angela’s sustainable practices. The winery offers tastings that showcase the range and depth of Istine’s wines, often accompanied by local cheeses and charcuterie. Angela’s passion for her craft and her engaging storytelling makes each visit memorable.

www.istine.it

Laura DeVito: Crafting Elegance in Every Bottle in Lapio, Campania

Laura DeVito is an emerging talent in the Italian wine scene, known for her sophisticated approach to winemaking. Laura was born and raised in Lapìo, a small town in the province of Avellino, within the historic district of Irpinia. Surrounded by the vineyards and the enchanting landscape of the Calore River valley near Mount Tuoro, Laura’s passion for viticulture was kindled at a young age. Her curiosity and dedication to understanding the terroir led her to pursue formal education in viticulture and enology.

In 2018, Laura and her husband, Carmine De Maria, founded the Laura DeVito winery. Their goal was to enhance and showcase the unique qualities of the Fiano grape, a variety deeply rooted in the history and culture of Lapìo. As a woman in the wine industry, Laura faced the challenge of carving out her niche in a male-dominated field. Her perseverance, combined with an unwavering belief in the potential of her land, has led to the creation of wines that are celebrated for their elegance and complexity.

Wines
The Laura DeVito winery focuses exclusively on Fiano di Avellino, producing four distinct labels that highlight the nuances of different terroirs. The wines are crafted with meticulous care, following a philosophy of minimal intervention and respect for the natural characteristics of the grapes. Each label is a testament to the varying microclimates, soils, and altitudes of the vineyards in Arianiello, Verzare, and Sauroni.

Visiting Laura DeVito
The Laura DeVito winery offers an intimate and personal experience for visitors. Nestled in the scenic countryside of Lapìo, the winery provides a serene backdrop for exploring the vineyards and learning about the winemaking process. Guests can enjoy guided tours that delve into the specifics of Laura’s approach, followed by tastings of the elegant Fiano di Avellino wines. The combination of Laura’s engaging personality and the tranquil setting makes for an unforgettable visit.

www.lauradevito.it

Arianna Occhipinti: The Icon of Organic Wines in Vittoria, Sicily

Arianna Occhipinti is a name synonymous with natural winemaking in Sicily. Raised in Vittoria, Arianna was surrounded by vineyards and winemaking traditions that deeply influenced her. From an early age, she was determined to follow in her family’s footsteps but with a modern twist, embracing biodynamic practices and low-intervention winemaking. As a pioneering woman in the natural wine movement, Arianna has faced numerous challenges but has remained steadfast in her commitment to producing authentic, terroir-driven wines.

Wines
Arianna’s Frappato and Nero d’Avola wines are celebrated for their vibrant, expressive nature. The SP68 Rosso, a blend of Frappato and Nero d’Avola, offers a lively bouquet of red fruits, herbs, and a hint of spice, with a fresh, approachable palate. Her wines are renowned for their authenticity and the vivid expression of their origins.

Visiting Arianna Occhipinti
A visit to Arianna Occhipinti’s winery in Vittoria is a journey into the heart of natural winemaking. Guests can tour the biodynamic vineyards and learn about Arianna’s minimalist approach in the cellar. Tastings are often held in the charming winery or amidst the vines, offering a chance to savor the unique flavors of her wines in their place of origin. Arianna’s passion and knowledge make each visit an educational and inspiring experience.

www.agricolaocchipinti.it

These four women are not just winemakers; they are trailblazers who embody the spirit of innovation and respect for tradition in the wine world. Whether you’re planning your next wine tour or looking to expand your cellar, the wines of Le Guaite di Noemi, Istine, Laura DeVito, and Arianna Occhipinti are sure to inspire. Each bottle tells a story of passion, dedication, and the unique terroir from which it hails. Cheers to these remarkable women behind these exceptional wines!

Filippo Magnani

Sweden Seeks to be Winemaking’s Next Frontier

Far north of iconic wine regions like Bordeaux and Tuscany, Sweden is seeing a burgeoning industry of vineyards and a first generation of winemakers trying to carve out a niche.

“There are millions of techniques, and I don’t have a grandfather or grandmother to ask. So we need to figure it out ourselves,” Lena Magnergard states as she walked through the short rows of grapevines at the Selaon vineyard an hour west of Stockholm.

The former communications professional started the vineyard, the most northern Swedish site to have produced its own wine according to Magnergard, together with her farmer husband Erik Bjorkman in 2019 on the family farm. They produced their first wine in 2021 but Magnegard, a trained sommelier, is quick to admit that as keepers of some 1,000 vines they are still learning.

“Of course you can read up in books, but that is nothing like generational knowledge,” she said, adding that they mostly look to France and its centuries of winemaking tradition as the gold standard.

According to Magnergard, the emergence of wineries this far north is largely thanks to the development of new breeds of grapes in the 1960s and 70s, such as Solaris — which was developed to be resistant to disease and is the main grape grown at Selaon.

Resistance to Cold

“What they then discovered about these grapes, by pure chance, was two things — they need less time between blooming and harvesting and they can handle cold very well,” Magnergard said.

That combination was perfect for the Nordic region, where summers are both shorter and colder.

In the south of Sweden, on the Bjare peninsula, Solaris also dominates the 11-hectare Thora Vineyard; started in 2015 by a Swedish-American couple.

But it also features more well-known grapes such as Pinot noir — which is less expected so far north due to it requiring more heat.

For French-born winemaker Romain Chichery, who started working on the vineyard together with colleague Emma Berto three years ago, Sweden is “a new playground”.

The 27-year-old wine specialist admitted to AFP that they “didn’t expect so many varieties to take.

“Once we had analysed the climatic data, we realised that there was potential for many varieties and not just hybrid varieties, which are interesting but not the only solution” for Swedish soils, he added.

As a warmer climate is disrupting harvests in traditional wine-growing areas, professional wine growers have begun to look further north.

However, the Scandinavian country is not exempt from the variations of the climate.

“We have extremes, just like everywhere else in Europe,” Chichery noted.

At the same time, exploring a new frontier of wine also frees winemakers from old established rules.

“We’re free to do what we want. If I want to make a red with a little residual sugar, so a slightly sweet red, I can do that,” he said.

In Sweden, the industry has picked up speed in recent years and the country is now home to some 50 commercial vineyards of varying sizes.

According to industry group Svenskt Vin, 200 hectares are now being cultivated, which while twice as many as five years ago is little compared to the 800,000 hectares devoted to viticulture in France.

For Murat “Murre” Sofrakis, the figure is still unimpressive, and the 56-year-old foresees much greater things in the future.

Sofrakis runs a small vineyard in the far south of Sweden but is a champion of Swedish winemaking.

Equal Terms

“There are two kinds of people. One is the entrepreneur that sees opportunity here… and for the other people, it’s like a lifestyle” he states.

For him, the aim is to invigorate the industry, and he believes a recent liberalisation of the Swedish strict alcohol monopoly should help.

In June, Sweden’s government announced it wanted to allow breweries, distilleries and winemakers to sell alcoholic beverages directly to customers visiting their operations.

Apart from bars and restaurants, Swedes can only buy beverages with an alcohol content above 3.5 percent at state-run outlets called Systembolaget, and some authorised retailers in rural areas.

The proposal to allow winemakers to sell three litres of wine to visitors is currently being reviewed but the government said it hopes to see it implemented in the first half of 2025.

“It’s the first time we’ve been able to compete on equal terms with the rest of the wine world, and that’s very important,” Sofrakis said.

He started in 2001, just two years after the European Union gave permission for vines to be grown commercially in Sweden. “If we’d had this 20 years ago, Swedish winegrowing would be much bigger,” he said.

Source: Camille BAS-WOHLERT

Montefalco 2024: A comprehensive review of the entire region beyond the Sagrantino Varietal

The second edition of Montefalco was held on June 12th and 13th in the beautiful medieval village of Montefalco, Umbria. Anteprima Sagrantino was relaunched in 2023 to celebrate the current vintage release of Montefalco Sagrantino DOCG and the wines produced in the area. This year, alongside the 2020 release Montefalco Bianco DOC, Montefalco Grechetto DOC, Spoleto Trebbiano Spoletino DOC, Spoleto Trebbiano Spoletino Superiore DOC, Montefalco Rosso DOC, and Montefalco Rosso Riserva DOC were included in the tasting room.

Montefalco, the “Balcony of Umbria”

Montefalco, often referred to as the “Balcony of Umbria,” is renowned not just for its picturesque landscapes but also for its exceptional vineyard terroir. Nestled in the heart of Umbria, this charming medieval town is surrounded by rolling hills that provide stunning panoramic views and ideal conditions for viticulture.

The unique terroir of Montefalco is characterized by a combination of clay-limestone soils, which offer excellent drainage and contribute to the complexity and richness of the grapes. The region’s mild climate, with its warm days and cool nights, ensures a slow and balanced ripening process, enhancing the concentration of flavors in the grapes.

The vineyards benefit from optimal sun exposure, thanks to the gentle slopes of the hills, which also protect them from harsh weather conditions. This perfect balance of soil, climate, and topography creates a distinctive environment that shapes the character and quality of Montefalco’s wines.

Sagrantino and the other native grapes of Montefalco

Sagrantino
Sagrantino is the hallmark grape of Montefalco. This indigenous variety is known for its thick skin, which gives the wine a deep color and high tannin content. Sagrantino wines are robust, with intense flavors of dark fruit, spices, and earthy notes. The grape’s natural tannins and acidity allow for long aging, resulting in complex and structured wines.

Sangiovese
Sangiovese is another significant grape in Montefalco. It is often blended with Sagrantino and other varieties to create Montefalco Rosso. Sangiovese brings bright acidity, red fruit flavors, and subtle spice, making the wines approachable yet complex. This grape thrives in Montefalco’s terroir, producing wines that are both vibrant and well-balanced.

Trebbiano Spoletino
Trebbiano Spoletino is a notable white grape variety in Montefalco. Known for its fresh and vibrant character, this grape produces wines with citrus, floral, and herbal notes. Trebbiano Spoletino’s crisp acidity and refreshing profile make it a favorite for white wine enthusiasts.

Grechetto
Grechetto is another important white grape grown in the region. It is valued for its full body, rich texture, and flavors of stone fruits, almonds, and minerality. Grechetto wines are often blended with Trebbiano Spoletino to add complexity and depth.

The Cradle of Wine Tourism in Umbria

Wine Tourism in Montefalco
Montefalco is a top destination for wine enthusiasts, providing a unique opportunity to explore vineyards, wineries, and the winemaking process. The region’s picturesque hills, dotted with vineyards and olive groves, create a serene backdrop for wine tours and tastings. Visitors can immerse themselves in the local culture, learning about traditional and modern winemaking techniques directly from passionate producers.

The Strada del Sagrantino
The Strada del Sagrantino is a well-established wine route that weaves through the Montefalco region, highlighting its premier wineries and vineyards. This scenic route offers a comprehensive wine tourism experience, featuring:

Vineyard Tours
Travelers can visit some of the most renowned vineyards in Montefalco, where they can walk through the rows of vines, learn about the unique terroir, and understand the meticulous care that goes into cultivating the grapes.

Wine Tastings
Along the Strada del Sagrantino, visitors have the opportunity to taste a variety of wines, including the celebrated Sagrantino di Montefalco and Montefalco Rosso. These tastings often include guided sessions with winemakers, providing insights into the characteristics and production methods of each wine.

Culinary Experiences
The Strada del Sagrantino also emphasizes the connection between wine and local cuisine. Many wineries feature on-site restaurants or partner with nearby eateries to offer food and wine pairings, showcasing Umbrian culinary delights that complement the region’s wines.

Montefalco 2020 Vintage report

Vineyard Conditions:
The 2020 vintage in Montefalco was marked by a dynamic climate. A mild and dry winter gave way to an early spring with above-average temperatures. However, an unexpected cold snap brought snow, frost, and hail to some areas. Persistent, heavy rainfall in May and June provided an excellent water supply, helping the vines endure the extreme summer heat, especially in July. The end of August saw a shift to cooler and more humid conditions, resulting in a relatively late harvest. By the end of September, the dry climate yielded healthy, perfectly ripe, and well-balanced grapes.

Cellar Results:
The balanced and gradual harvest of 2020, particularly for later-ripening varieties such as Sagrantino and Trebbiano Spoletino, allowed for the highest quality grapes to be brought into the cellar. Despite some areas being affected by spring frosts and hail, the overall quantity of the harvest was notable. The resulting wines from this vintage are exceptional, showcasing perfected pulp maturity, vibrant and dynamic profiles, and impeccably mature tannins. The wines are not only appealing now but also have strong potential for long-term aging, making the 2020 vintage a standout year.

Exploring the Vineyards and Wineries of Montefalco

Scacciadiavoli
A landmark estate in Montefalco, Scacciadiavoli has been producing wine since 1884 and was bought by the Pambuffetti family in 1954. Scacciadiavoli means “to cast out the devils,” and is taken from a local 19th century exorcist who was known to use wine while performing his rituals. Today, the winery is a state-of-the-art 4-level facility allowing for gravity flow throughout the entire production. A visit to the winery will include a guided tour and a selection of tastings to choose from paired with Pambufetti family products or even lunch.

Pardi
The three Pardi brothers, Alfredo, Francesco, and Alberto started making wine in 1919 at the local hospital in Montefalco. Eventually their wines were shipped all over Italy, including the Vatican. Today their great-grandsons Gianluca Rio and Alberto Mario keep the family tradition alive. With 11 hectares of vines, they grow the local varieties Sagrantino, Sangiovese, Grechetto and Trebbiano Spoletino, but also international grapes like Merlot, Cabernet and Chardonnay.

Le Cimate
Le Cimate winery represents the culmination of over 200 years of agricultural dedication by the Bartolini family. Beginning with farming in the 1800s, transitioning to viticulture in the 1960s, and strategically purchasing land in 1992, the family finally began building their winery in 2011. Located at 400 meters and nestled against the Martani Mountains, the winery benefits from an excellent diurnal temperature shift and regular winds that keep the vines healthy. Surrounding their 23 hectares of vineyards are 33 hectares of olive groves and 15 hectares of hazelnut orchards. Utilizing the latest technology, the winery produces wines from an impressive array of grapes, including native varieties and international favorites such as Chardonnay, Viognier, Vermentino, Merlot, and Cabernet Sauvignon.

Tabarrini
Giampalo Tabarrini, the fourth generation of his family, took control of their agricultural estate in the late 1990s and transformed it into the winery it is today. His vision is focused on terroir, with three bottlings selected from distinct vineyard parcels to highlight their unique expressions. In addition to 15 hectares of vineyards, the estate includes olive groves and wheat fields, from which they produce their own stone-ground flour, perfect for making pizza, pasta, and desserts.

Lungarotti
Founded in the 1960s by Giorgio Lungarotti, the family estate is located in Montefalco and Torgiano, just 30 minutes northwest of Montefalco towards Perugia. The winery is a family affair, now run by Giorgio’s two daughters, Chiara and Teresa. Their mother, Maria Grazia, was a pioneer in wine tourism, creating the region’s first wine museum in the 1970s and, more recently, an olive and olive oil museum. Teresa was one of Italy’s first female oenologists, and her children, Francesco and Gemma, manage the estate’s sales and events. All their wines have been organic since 2010.

Arnaldo Caprai
Founded in 1971 by Arnaldo Caprai, a textile entrepreneur, the winery was passed to his son Marco in 1988 when Marco was only 21. Marco has expanded the estate from just 12 acres to a thriving 370-acre vineyard. Early on, he chose to drastically reduce the quantity of grapes to focus on quality. Believing in Sagrantino’s full potential, he began exporting dry Montefalco Sagrantino to the U.S. even before it achieved DOCG status, paving the way for an international revival of Sagrantino. The state-of-the-art winery in Montefalco offers multiple tours and tastings on its panoramic terrace or in the vineyards.

Antonelli
Originally owned by the Bishop of Spoleto for over 600 years, the property was bought by Francesco Antonelli in 1883. Today, the Antonelli estate spans 430 acres in the heart of the Montefalco territory. The variety of terrain, from rich clay deposits to rocky limestone, results in several microclimates, with each plot expressing its own nuances. The cellars are completely underground, allowing for the use of gravity flow during production. The grapes, mostly Sagrantino and Sangiovese for reds and Grechetto and Trebbiano Spoletino for whites, are all organic. Visitors are welcomed in the beautifully restored antique farmhouse, Casale Satriano, which includes six apartments and a swimming pool.

Romanelli
Originally owned by the Bishop of Spoleto for over 600 years, the property was bought by Francesco Antonelli in 1883. Today, the Antonelli estate spans 430 acres in the heart of the Montefalco territory. The variety of terrain, from rich clay deposits to rocky limestone, results in several microclimates, with each plot expressing its own nuances. The cellars are completely underground, allowing for the use of gravity flow during production. The grapes—mostly Sagrantino and Sangiovese for reds and Grechetto and Trebbiano Spoletino for whites—are all organic. Visitors are welcomed in the beautifully restored antique farmhouse, Casale Satriano, which includes six apartments and a swimming pool.

Tenuta Bellafonte
Located just outside Bevagna, Tenuta Bellafonte was started by Peter Heilbron, a successful businessman from Milan who fell in love with Umbria and the unique terroir of Montefalco. The winery is dedicated to sustainability and biodiversity, using solar panels and a biomass boiler to minimize environmental impact. Both the wine production facility and cellar are underground, blending seamlessly with the landscape. The vineyards are surrounded by forests and a massive olive grove with 2,500 trees, which are used to produce their own olive oil. They grow Sagrantino, Sangiovese, and Trebbiano Spoletino grapes. A large country estate was built to welcome visitors, offering seven charming bedrooms, a lush garden, and an indoor pool.

Cantina Tudernum
Established in 1958 by a group of vineyard owners who decided to join forces to market their wines as a cooperative, they grew from only a few hectares of vines to the 400 hectares they have today. Since the 1990s, they have invested in quality and technological improvements to produce an impressive variety of wines in both modern and classic styles, including rare native varieties.

North America’s Six Top Wine Regions for a Cycling Getaway

For wine lovers who love the outdoors, combining the enjoyment of wine tasting with leisurely cycling through some of North America’s most picturesque vineyard regions offers a unique and wonderful experience.

Wine regions like Napa Valley, the Finger Lakes, and Niagara are not only renowned for their exquisite wines, but they also feature some of the most bicycle-friendly routes and amenities.

Here is a guide that takes you through these areas, promising lots of adventure, indulgence, and an appreciation of these wonderful wine regions: https://shorturl.at/zL08Z

Source: Momentum Magazine

Assovini Sicilia Celebrates 25 Years

Assovini Sicilia celebrated a double anniversary this year: twenty-five years since its founding, and twenty years since the first edition of Sicilia en Primeur.

A special event was recently held in May during Sicilia en Primeur 2024, which included the preview of the latest vintage. This was a record edition with over one hundred journalists, including national and international press, ten enotours, five masterclasses, fifty-nine wineries and over three hundred labels for tasting.

Cultivating the Future, the claim chosen for this edition, takes stock of the first twenty-five years, emphasizing Assovini Sicilia’s role as a leading player and witness to the Sicilian wine renaissance.

Diego Planeta, Lucio Tasca d’Almerita and Giacomo Rallo signed the articles of association of Assovini Sicilia in 1998. Eight wineries were the first to join the association, endorsing that far-sighted, courageous, revolutionary vision, which saw associationism as a winning strategy to promote Sicily.

Twenty-five years later, the dream of the “founding fathers” to attribute cultural, promotional and storytelling value to Sicilian wine has been fully realized.

The strong wind of change and evolution continues to push the association forward, which, driven by the spirit of teamwork and system, has recently become a beacon in the wine scene, demonstrating not only that in Sicily, wine production is of quality, the managerial profile of the companies is competitive, and wine is a cultural ambassador to the world, but that the Sicily that knows how to team up is a winner.

“I am proud to represent an association that has always conveyed and promoted a contemporary image of Sicily, linked to traditions, dynamic, and elegant,” comments Mariangela Cambria, President of Assovini Sicilia. – Thanks to the courage of those who believed in associationism, defying all cultural resistance and, putting themselves on the line without protagonism, believing in teamwork, today, throughout the world, Sicily is a brand with a powerful and profound cultural value and international appeal. Assovini Sicilia was born from a vision and a plan that pushed the island towards new horizons, made it known throughout the world for its beauty and history. A story whose telling was entrusted to the narrative and symbolic power of wine. The great revolution of Assovini Sicilia was to believe in wine as a cultural product, with potential that is extraordinary and unique, before being economic.”

The story of these extraordinary twenty-five years, divided into multiple themes – the evolution of the vineyard, the cultural value of wine, perception in the American market, wine tourism and the Next Generation – was the heart of the “Cultivating the Future” conference, moderated by Gioacchino Bonsignore, a Mediaset journalist, inside the monumental complex of San Domenico in Cefalù.

Bonsignore retraced the history of Assovini Sicilia through those who have supported the vision and path of the association over the years.

«It’s a bit like what happened with the Italian language: It was born in Dante’s Florence, in the fourteenth century, but the precursor is the Sicilian School of the court of the “Stupor Mundi”, Frederick II of Swabia, in the thirteenth century.

Members of Assovini Sicilia speak about history, culture and values. They are all aiming for exports: Europe confirms itself as the main export market, for 95.7% of the companies, followed by North America. «I have witnessed the Sicilian wine renaissance firsthand over the past twenty years, and writing about the wines of Sicily has given me some of the most rewarding professional moments. I am deeply convinced that the bright future of Italian wine begins here, in Sicily, in the heart of the Mediterranean” – states Monica Lerner, an American journalist and wine critic for Robert Parker Wine Advocate.

Alessio Planeta, Antonio Rallo and Alberto Tasca, sons of the original founders, took up the torch and carried forward the initial plan of teamwork that laid the foundations of the winning “wine system” of Assovini Sicilia.

«I have always been convinced that collaborating and sharing long-term objectives is the right way to create value and promote our extraordinary wine-growing contexts.
Therefore, associationism for me has been and continues to be a successful path, which fully embodies the spirit of collaboration and commitment to excellence that characterizes Sicilian wine-growing,” comments Antonio Rallo, past president of Assovini and current President of the Consortium for the Protection of Sicily DOC wines.

Alessio Planeta defines the time span and history of the Sicilian vineyard in three emblematic eras: the enchantment of the past, the fervor of the 1980s and the vitality of the new millennium. «Each stage tells a story, interwoven with numbers, trends and varieties that reflect our commitment to the future. It is not just an exercise in meditation, but a bridge to tomorrow, shaped by family experience and innovation. In a world where we export to 75 markets, operating in five different Sicilian regions, we rely on the wisdom of our predecessors, like my uncle Diego Planeta, and our vision,’ adds Alessio Planeta, CEO and President of Planeta Winery.

Not only quality production and promotion abroad, Assovini Sicilia has won the bet on wine tourism as a tool for telling the story of the territory and its historical and wine-growing heritage.

Today, 84.8 % of the member companies have implemented a series of wine tourism services in their wineries that are true wine experiences, contributing to the evolution of wine tourism services from simple wine tastings to a part of experiential tourism.
In Sicily, the wine experience is a metaphor for a land that is changing and that has managed to enhance an asset, the wine industry, capable of representing our Sicily at its best,’ commented Marcello Mangia, president and CEO of Mangia’s – Aeroviaggi and host of the Sicilia en Primeur conference.

With its roots firmly anchored in tradition and the past, Assovini Sicilia is laying the foundations for the future by continuing to follow the winning trajectory and strategy that has led the association to celebrate these first twenty-five years successfully. The wineries are preparing for the generational transition: About 78% of the member wineries have already integrated a new generation into the company management. Within the association, the ‘Next Generation’ group has been created to represent the new generations of Assovini Sicilia, young people under 40 years of age who are already operational and family members within family businesses and who, guided by the example of Assovini, are committed to creating a team that looks to the future and to the enhancement of the Sicilian wine-growing territory. Among the new group’s main areas of intervention: communication, training and promotion of the territory.

«I believe that the NextGen of our entrepreneurial families have very clearly in mind what kind of ancestors they want to be: And this is how they will transform business models, here in Sicily and in the wine industry as in all sectors and geographical areas,’ Giovanna Gregori, executive director of AIDAF – Italian Family Business, commented during the conference.

Sicilia en Primeur, the event conceived of and organized by Assovini Sicilia since 2004, celebrates its 20th anniversary this year. An itinerant event that has based its success on a winning format: combining the preview of the latest vintage wines with visits to wineries and territories, telling the story of Sicily’s historical-archaeological and landscape beauties through the stories of wine.

“With Sicilia en Primeur, wine becomes an instrument of narration not only of the wine heritage but also of the human and historical heritage of Sicily. Wine is the leitmotif that unites the stories of the producers with those of the territories, weaves tales, joins pieces of a unique mosaic where Sicily is an extraordinary wine-growing continent” President Mariangela Cambria concludes.

Source: Assovini Sicilia