“White Wine Identity”, Settesoli leader of the supply chain contract for sustainable development

Between the biggest Archaeological Park in Europe, Selinunte, and the closest vineyard to the seaside in the world, very close to the Natural Reserve of mouth of the river Belice, with grapes looking to the Mediterranean, there is Settesoli winery, a cooperative of 2,000 members producing the widest variety of grapes in Sicily (35 cultivars) on 6,000 hectares of vineyards, 7% of the entire vineyard surface on the island with over 1,000 hectares cultivated at organic, and a yearly production of 20 million of bottles. Export represents 55% of the turnover of bottled wine, and reaches more than 44 countries. Exactly Settesoli, one of the most important wineries in Sicily, became leader of supply chain contract “White Wine Identity”, four-year project involving the University of Palermo together with other 10 wine companies (of which 7 Sicilian) – in addition to Settesoli, also Colomba Bianca, Cva Canicattì, Di Bella Vini, G.Milazzo, Tenute Navarra, Casa Grazia, De Luca (Calabria), Borgo Molino (Veneto), Consorzio Colli Euganei (Veneto) – with the aim to promote in Italy, and abroad white wine produced in terre sicane throughout different initiatives, as well as to reorganize the structure to make it more modern, and technologically advanced. The supply chain contract is promoted by the Ministry of Agriculture, and aims to foster collaboration among the involved subjects, stimulate the creation of better market relationships, and ensure positive consequences on agricultural production.
For this aim, Settesoli winery will invest 10 million euros in some interventions aiming to improve productive and technological performances of the company. Therefore, two new photovoltaic system installers will be installed to increase the production of energy from renewable sources. The new solar park will go to be added to the other 11 already active implants, of which 3 of last generation producing 2 million of kilowatt-hours yearly.
“White Wine Identity is the first initiative of this type carried out in Sicily  - affirms Giuseppe Bursi, president of Settesoli winery -  in which our reality will be leading. The concept of sustainable development at the basis of the contract is a cultural introjection which we hope it is shared in all its aspects, and practiced by each member. The attention for the territory, both from an environmental and social point of view has always marked our work: this project allows us to be increasingly more at avant-garde, and to further valorize our white wines, and the productions of terre sicane. It is an important landscape to be ready to collect the new challenges which wait for us”.
Settesoli winery is, moreover, active part in the valorization of the territory also throughout the collaboration with SOStain Foundation, program of Consorzio di tutela vini Doc Sicilia and Assovini Sicilia promoting an ethical and sustainable development in Sicilian wine sector going with and addressing the adhering wineries towards the constant measurement, and the reduction of the impact that agricultural policies have on the environment. “Starting from the next vineyard – continues Bursi - SOStain brand will be affixed on some of our wines. It regards products which already have Viva certification, but the program of the protocol foresees more cogent parameters, a disciplinary made up of 10 minimal requisitions including various aspects, from the measurement of water footprint, and of carbon footprint up to the control of the weight of the bottle, from the conservation of floristic and faunal biodiversity to the valorization of human and territorial capital, from energetic saving to the health of consumers”.
Settesoli winery is synonym of sustainable cooperation not only in the respect of green practices, but also as an ethical management model of the winery meant as community, economic and social point of reference of an entire territory. Last December, the balance sheet of year 2023-2024 was presented to members, which concluded with a turnover of 49,723,248 euros registering an increase of 6.5% compared to the values of the previous year. “A positive balance - concludes Bursi – which shows the financial solidity of our company despite the difficulties of the market and those attributable to climate changes, and to downy mildew, elements which had a strong impact on the last harvests”.