BUBBLIES WITH A SEAL OF ORIGIN ... THE LAUNCH OF “THOUSAND AND ONE VINEYARDS” PROJECT, CREATED BY MAISON BERLUCCHI IN COLLABORATION WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF MILAN

Berlucchi, one of the most important producers of Italian sparkling wine spumante (with over 5 million bottles commercialized each year), has launched “Thousand and One Vineyards”, an innovative project that focuses on the fundamental element in winemaking, that is, the origin, the vines themselves, thus offering the entire company strategy a decisive impulse for researching qualitative excellence. The project was created by Berlucchi in collaboration with the University of Milan and the scientific and technical consulting of Professor Leonardo Valenti. Valenti, one of the top Italian experts in winemaking, explained that, “The main goal is that of monitoring the Berlucchi vineyards, creating a sort of “map” of the destinations of use for the different types of grapes coming from the different areas of production.
Not only this, but also the control and improvement of agricultural practices in order to get the maximum results out of the primary material, but also to identify the different qualities of the vineyards, for the precise use of different grapes for different products, thus gearing the primary materials towards a production line that is potentially already determined at the grapevine”. The goal is, therefore, the identification and classification of the different grapes’ “vocations”. With periodic reliefs from the fields, a constant monitoring will commence of individual plots in order to “map” the vineyards and, on the basis of the results, stylize a sort of identification card for the vines, which will make it possible to define with more precision what types of grapes will be obtained from each area surveyed. As well, all winemakers participating will also be aided by a team of agronomist with an on site assistance service, coordinated by Valenti and by the agricultural studio Sata, directed by Pierluigi Donna. Valenti continued, noting, “The work is gigantic, ranging from Oltrepò Pavese, Franciacorta and Trentino and including about 450 participants and will include, not just a valorization of primary material, but also a refinement of winemaking techniques”.
The project is ambitious and requires a long and attentive job, the first partial results will be ready only after three years, and only then will it be possible to individualize the productive specificities of each vineyard. “With this system we will be capable to best optimize the use of various grapes as determined wine bases”, explained Arturo Ziliani, production manager for Guido Berlucchi.
“This way, the company will have total control over production, and can aim towards total quality in production, because of a greater consistency in the creation of the products.” The final goal is to differentiate products by giving each one a defined personality, thus offering consumers a complete line of Metodo Classico spumanti that are adapted to the different demands of those who enjoy quality sparkling wines”.
Franco Pallini