2020 Viticulture Protocol: Prosecco DOCG takes yet another step towards sustainability

Prosecco di Conegliano and Valdobbiadene have taken yet another step forward on the road to sustainability. The Consortium presented Wine Protocol, edition number 10, a document, which year after year, proposes and promotes an increasingly praiseworthy system of vineyard management through integrated vine defense, and is confirmation of the Consortium’s continued commitment towards increasingly sustainable agriculture. This year’s edition classifies the contents in a much more practical way. For instance, the text makes it easier to trace the molecules in products on sale and, consequently, to increase their impact. Further, it will be much easier to consult in-depth articles on the most important topics in the field of defending plants from certain diseases and insects that are particularly insidious in the Denomination (for example, esca disease, flavescence dorée, cochineal insects). Additionally, there is space for adopting management methods that are more compatible to the health of the vineyard, such as sexual confusion, and introducing predatory insects.
Innocente Nardi, President of the Protection Consortium, explained that the Wine Protocol “is continuing more and more convincingly along the road of the fight for integration. Over the past 10 years, the Consortium has been structured so as to be able to analyze the various situations in the field, utilizing advanced technical instruments suitable to the territory. Moreover, due to the excellent professionals who make up the technical staff, we are able to more effectively support and help our members manage their vineyards”.
The Consortium (which brings together 182 sparkling wine producers and 480 winemakers), therefore, is continuing its activity of observation of the territory, analysis of data collected and suggesting procedures to the wine growers to encourage greater sensitivity for environmental sustainability.
The first edition of Viticulture Protocol was published in 2011 and has since become the cornerstone of the Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco DOCG Consortium’s sustainability activity.
On the subject of sustainability, Ermete Realacci, president of Symbola Foundation for Italian Quality and Excellence, with which the Prosecco DOCG Consortium has promoted a study aimed at mapping the main technological solutions available on the market to improve products and production processes of the wine supply chain in the sign of sustainability and therefore of quality, as well as the promoter of the Assisi Manifesto, said quite significantly, “having a clear understanding of the scope of sustainability and how it contrasts the crisis is not only necessary today or linked to the real likelihood that pollution aggravated the impact of Coronavirus. It is really the most convincing way to re-launch businesses and jobs in Italy. This crisis has taught us many lessons, which will not be forgotten. One of these is the primary importance of healthcare and research, but also the re-evaluation of the primary sector and distribution”.

The Prosecco production world is very sensitive to the environment, which it had also demonstrated when in 2019 it launched the SQNPI Certification Project (National Quality System for Integrated Production) of the Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco DOCG Denomination wine farms. The certification system takes into consideration the various production methods and defense systems of crops from adversities, able to minimize the use of synthetic chemicals in the vineyard and rationalize fertilization practices. To obtain and maintain the certification, controls have been set up, such as implementing a considerable number of analyses of grapes produced aimed at determining the real usage of chemicals in the vineyard. And the response has been totally positive. Indeed, 40 associated companies in a certified area of 575 hectares immediately shared the Consortium’s certification project. In addition to these companies, other wineries and cooperatives have certified themselves independently. Processing and bottling companies can also participate in the project and will have the opportunity to use the “bee” logo on their products. Wine growers will also be able to use the logo in their certified vineyards.