Enotourism, social, “next gen”, and millennial history: Sicily “wine destination” looks to future

Increasingly bigger “wine destination” of wine world, thanks to its unique bind with great wines, food and cuisine treasures, territories ranging from the Mediterranean coasts to Etna slopes, millennial history left by many civilizations of which it was crossroads, but increasingly more innovative with research in the vineyard, and winery, between sustainability and enotourism, increasingly younger, with new generations, who are, at this point, active in almost 8 companies out of 10, and careful also to new languages, from that in constant evolution of social media, to that of “neurosciences” among modernity, authenticity, and Artificial Intelligence to be managed, and with the willingness to seize all the opportunities of an island, Sicily, which pioneristically aimed to trio food-wine-territories as “means” to explain to the world, is, at this point, one of the most important wine brands in Italy, and also at an international level (in addition to “European Region of Gastronomy” 2025), a vineyard of over 96,000 hectares (for over 30% organic, the greatest “organic wine” district in Italy) corresponding to three times that of New Zealand, and South Africa, with 81.9 million of bottles claimed Doc Sicilia (under which, in 2023, 22,528 hectares were claimed, ed), the regional umbrella denomination, to which pearls such as Etna Doc, Cerasuolo di Vittoria Docg, and not only, are added. This is the portrait of Sicilian “wine mosaic” arriving from “Sicilia En Primeur” 2025, the event at edition No. 21, on stage from May, 6 to 10, organized by Assovini Sicilia, founded by three “great visioners” such as Diego Planeta, Giacomo Rallo, and Lucio Tasca, and, today, headed by Mariangela Cambria, reuniting 100 of the most virtuous wine realities of Sicily. Where, at Castello dei Conti in Modica, following the claim “La cultura del vino in Sicilia: una storia millenaria che guarda al futuro” - “Wine culture in Sicily: a millennial history looking to the future”, in various talks among “neuromarketing”, communication, enotourism, and traceability, producers and researchers tried to track the route of future in an ocean, that of the market of world wine, increasingly more agitated, and with few certainties. While the last vintages of Sicilian wines are presented, including 2024, result of a harvest penalized by drought in quantity (dropping by -20% compared to 2023), but with a quality which satisfied producers. Vincenzo Russo, full professor of Consumption Psychology and Neuromoarketing, and coordinator of Neuromarketing Research Center “Behavior and Brain Lab” at Iulm University, in Milan, opens a provocation, and conducted a talk about “I segreti del cervello per l’esperienza enologica” - “Brain secrets for wine experience”. Starting from an experimental tasting which involved the present journalists, Russo explained how “the taste of a wine can be modified in certain perceptive aspects which have nothing to do with the same product”. A strong affirmation, but, of whose validity, Russo is sure. “Within this field, many research papers were carried out: from the effect of product colors to lights of a local, from music of tasting place to plate presentation. It is about elements which, only apparently, are secondary, Actually, these aspects can modify or reinforce certain tasting sensations”. An aspect to be considered, in a world, which is increasingly more influenced by communication, to which also “Next Generation” by Assovini Sicilia, the under 40 group of the association, looks. Dynamic young people, often with experiences out of Sicily, an educational baggage in different fields, from marketing to architecture, from economy to enology, which have in common the passion, familiar and company history linked to wine, the willingness to bring new contributions, result of their educational experiences. And, who wanted to deepen the theme of “la comunicazione digitale, tra opportunità e rischi, e i valori del vino da comunicare alle nuove generazioni” - “digital communication among opportunities and risks, and wine values to be communicated to new generations”, with disseminator Francesco Saverio Russo, and critic Emanuele Gobbi. According to Russo, one of the most determining is that to contrast “fake influencers and pseudo-marketers”, an action requesting competences to recognize misleading marketing practices, and adopt strategies to promote the brand and wines in a transparent, authentic, and modern way. “Getting involved with new generations about the potentialities and risks of today communication is fundamental - affirmed Francesco Saverio Russo - increasingly more in a moment as that we are living now, in which semantic exploitation and misleading proclamations are in the order of the day. I am firmly convinced that Sicilian young producers can translate this ruling negativity into an opportunity wiping out confusion and fear thanks to their growing awareness”. And, if to communicate wine values to new generations, maybe “authenticity and passion are not sufficient anymore as promotional leverages, as well as sustainability and identity regarding distinctive elements”, reflected Gobbi, involving contents are increasingly implementing digital channels are more determining, as well as organizing events and activities in the winery for young consumers uniting education, experience, and passion towards wine. A vison, that of “Nex Gen” of Assovini, narrated by the words of Costante Planeta, son of Alessio Planeta, at the head of famous family company, and of Kika Fina, who is active, since time, in family company Cantine Fina. “Our parents transmitted us an enormous value nucleus – said Costante Planeta – and, we should only adapt the form basing on new wine horizons, but, in doing that, identity and roots from where we come help us. We are a great group, and we are projecting in the exchange, in sharing, and collective growth. New technologies don’t scare us because craftsmanship in wine world is a very important part of production. Project Next Gen changes and evolves, the trajectory to be followed will be discovered during the journey”. “We are quite ready about Artificial Intelligence. Our families – added Kika Fina – fed us with the sacrifices they made, and we are ready to conjugate future and tradition, and to simplify communication to conquer younger people. Assovini Sicilia gave us great trust, from here, this great dialogue starts. Sicily is the region which, maybe, has the higher number of young producers, and this is an important signal”. And, looking to the future, explain young people, it is important also to learn from the past, the most remote and recent one. “We made a mistake in neglecting the communication of this beauty which is part of our world. We, aas young people, are accustomed to a series of fake and incoherent messages, coherence is needed in messages and communication channels”, added Costante Planeta. While, according to Kika Fina, “the key word is spontaneity. Behind socials, there is also who fakes and makes strategy, while, it is necessary to be spontaneous, interest with carefree and simple contents, but always with great respect for correctness and authenticity making the interest of the company, but also of the territory”. And, following new values which are not so different from those of the past: “our values – said Planeta – are not distant from those which were transmitted by our predecessors: identity, team, and union, but declined in future. Bring forwards the concept of teams among producers, also to be an example for the other young people. The important work conducted by Cda, and the president of Assovini Sicilia acts as glue, which believe us”. “I strongly believe in the fact that there must be new generations capable of taking the baton. We believed, and we consider their point of view because it is fundamental to teach young people to love this earth, Sicily, and our work”, confirmed Mariangela Cambria. After all, young people are the motor of wine future of the island, and of Assovini Sicilia, as emerged in the report of Università degli Studi di Messina. According to the survey carried out by the University, to which 80 producers replied (out of 101 members), member companies are mainly agricultural, and family-run. Of these, 78% have already integrated a new under 40 generation in the management, revealing, therefore, a strong inclination of Sicilian producers to give space to new leverages capable to supply innovative contributions in step with the times. Moreover, for these businesses, sustainability is not only a value, but a strategy to compete at a global level preserving the territory, and replying to growing expectations of consumers. Not by chance, 76% of companies already owns an organic certification, while 56.5% an environmental one. Moreover, Assovini Sicilia members are investing a lot on enotourism which represents one of the most authentic expressions for wine, and territory discovery. 84.8% of businesses already implemented enotouristic services diversifying the offer, and conjugating wine with art, music, archaeology, wellbeing. In this way, wine contests become the ideal container to talk about culture, gastronomy, artistic heritage. “Enotourism is not only an extraoridnary opportunity to sell wine – still underlined Mariangela Cambria - it is much more because it offers to people coming to find us a complete experience with a great cultural value. Moreover, we are living a particularly favorable historical moment: Sicily was nominated European Region of Gastronomy 2025, Agrigento Italian Capital of Culture 2025, and Gibellina Capital of Contemporary Art 2026. It is an increasingly more appreciated destination, and, in a delicate phase such as that wine world is living, enotourism will be the real turning point. The signals for the just began season are very positive, and this pushes us to look to the future with trust”. A future passing through also wine quality, obviously, first of all, to be promoted, narrated and positioned increasingly higher on the market, as emerged in panel “Tutela e valorizzazione delle produzioni Do e Ig e del ruolo dei nuovi contrassegni di Stato” - “Protection and production valorization of Pdo and Igt productions, and of the role of State seals”, about which it was discussed in the fourth talk with Arianna Rossetti, responsible relations with associations of Istituto Poligrafico e Zecca dello Stato, and with Felice Assenza, Chief Department Icqrf - Central quality inspectorate and fraud prevention of the Ministry of Agriculture. Starting from the fact that the new State seal with tricolor flag (presented, in the last days, as we reported here) will allow an immediate identification of made in Italy productions protecting Docg and Doc wines more efficiently. Thanks to safety techniques, similar to those present in banknotes, and to a Qr Code, everyone can access to traceability and anti-forgery data of the product, through a safe, developed platform, which is managed by Istituto Poligrafico, in which information transmitted by any suppl chain actors is present (certification associations, protection consortia, and companies). “State seals, developed by Poligrafico with anti-forgery technologies – explained Felice Assenza – are verified on the field by Icqrf inspectors through Uv lamps supplied by the same Poligrafico, reinforcing, in this way, the controls on wine origins. This synergy between technological innovation, and public control ensures transparency in the supply chain, and protection of consumers. Our commitment to valorize, and protect Italian wine heritage, also at an international level, will continue”. According to Antonio Rallo, president Consorzio di Tutela Vini Doc Sicilia, who brought the point of view of producers, “this tool translates into a concrete opportunity to reinforce the bond with wine, territory, and producer. Therefore, Qr Code, in addition to allow the immediate access to a digital platform explaining the characteristics of the territory of origin, and touristic experiences linked to it. It is a strategic leverage to promote food and wine, and landscape heritage, stimulating the visit of the territory, and increasing the visibility of our excellences on international markets”.