Here is the “Noto Manifesto” of contemporary wine: a new way of thinking about its world

Contemporary wine is born from an agricultural act, recognizing agriculture as a means of creating harmony between man and nature, without opposition between the two; it contains the past, present, and future, and is “polyphonic” because it represents a plurality of people, visions, and territories and respects their complexity; it is open, inclusive, responsible, accepts evolution as an essential part of its existence, and does not fear contamination, but embraces diversity in consumption and new technologies without fear; it is a system that generates economy, work, beauty, relationships, culture, and, for this reason, is implicitly sustainable, producing economic and social well-being for the environment and the communities of reference, increasing their biodiversity; it is a community of farmers, producers, and consumers based on trust; it recognizes itself as a cultural asset and common heritage in respect for the land, people, and places, shaping the landscape and defining its identity; it creates joy and happiness, fosters human relationships, and stimulates conviviality in the pleasure of the table; last but not least, it uses understandable, transversal, and adaptive language that describes wine in its agricultural and cultural context. Here are the eight points of the “Manifesto di Noto” on contemporary wine, written by a “community” of opinion leaders brought together by the Planeta brand, one of the architects of Sicily's wine renaissance, at the Buonivini winery in Noto in recent days. These leaders represent various sectors of Italian manufacturing, from academia to culture, wine to cuisine, journalism to communication (including WineNews), but who believe in a more conscious and responsible way of producing, describing, and experiencing wine, in order to offer a new interpretation of it, capable of embracing the past, present, and future. The “Manifesto” is intended to be an act of reflection and commitment, recognizing wine not only as an agricultural product of excellence, but also as a cultural expression, a common good, and a tool for connecting people. At the heart of this approach is a new idea of contemporaneity: today's wine is the result of a continuous dialogue between past and future, between traditional knowledge and technological innovation, between care for the land and respect for the environment. It is not possible, in fact, to consider viticulture solely as a productive activity: it is an agricultural practice that shapes landscapes, creates social and economic value, promotes beauty, and contributes to the well-being of the communities involved.
The “Manifesto di Noto” (Noto Manifesto) on contemporary wine is the result of the evolution of the “Wine is a contemporary story” program, launched at Vinitaly 2025 by the Sicilian company Planeta as an act of reflection on the identity and role of contemporary wine. In recent days, it brought together in Noto—on the occasion of the official launch of “Costellazioni d’Arte” (Constellations of Art), a project by the brand that intertwines art, landscape, and identity, which this year has been enriched with a new work by Vanessa Beecroft, ed. - a series of meetings featuring important players from the world of Italian wine and beyond. At the talk “Contemporary Wineries”, moderated by Ottavia Casagrande, Roberta Ceretto, president and communications manager of the historic Barolo Ceretto winery, explained how the Cappella del Barolo has become a symbol of contemporary art in the Langhe region and a tool for promoting the area. Arturo Pallanti, operations director at Castello di Ama, one of the leading Chianti Classico wineries and a pioneer in linking wine and art, compared the artist to the winemaker, both interpreters of the terroir. Tiziana Frescobaldi, from the historic Italian wine family and creator and director of the “Artisti per Frescobaldi” project, talked about how the organization allows the creative process to be followed from within. Alessio Planeta, CEO and technical manager of Aziende Agricole Planeta and ideologist of the “Manifesto”, described the use of art to rediscover the territory - from the project of the first artist residency in the winery “Viaggio in Sicilia” to the theater in the vineyard of the “Festival Sciaranuova” - and regenerate rural spaces in collaboration with the Merz Foundation. Professor Nicola Perullo, rector of the University of Gastronomic Sciences in Pollenzo, concluded by emphasizing the function of wine as a communicative “work”, the result of dialogue between producers and consumers, promoting cultural identity and business innovation. This was followed by the talk “Contemporary wineries and more”, moderated by Giambattista Marchetto, which focused on the evolution of consumption in the beverage world with different players. Producers Arianna Occhipinti, head of the Sicilian winery that bears her name, Cecilia Carbone, manager of the Sicilian farm Serra Ferdinandea, Niklas Foradori Hofstätter, fifth generation of the South Tyrolean company Hofstätter, Diva Moretti Polegato, export manager of Villa Sandi in Veneto, and Cristina Busi Ferruzzi, president of Sibeg-Coca Cola, discussed agricultural practices such as biodynamics and diversification of production within the winery, No-Lo wines and new ready-to-drink beverages, the consumption crisis and, above all, the role that a farm can play today in protecting and enhancing the land, preserving its biodiversity, producing culture and offering training as tools for social development. On the sidelines, Alessandro Regoli, director of WineNews, producer Andrea Farinetti, head of Fontanafredda, Mauro Mattei, fine wines specialist at Ceretto, Pietro Russo, Master of Wine, Accursio Capraro, chef at the Radici restaurant in Modica, and Nicola Perullo interacted with the speakers, stimulating discussion on what it means today to produce and talk about contemporary wine. Finally, inspired by the dialogues and reflections among the guests, the “Manifesto di Noto” was born, a programmatic document that gives voice to a contemporary vision of wine, capable of interpreting current challenges and imagining a more conscious future for the entire sector.
At a time when the world of wine is undergoing profound changes - economic, social, cultural, and environmental - the working group hosted by the Buonivini winery in Noto asked itself what contemporary wine should be like: what role should it play in society? What values does it represent? Will it have another millennium of history ahead of it? The “Manifesto di Noto” affirms the value of wine as a central element of our culture, a universal language capable of uniting people and defining the identity of places and countries. At a time when consumption patterns are changing and the perception of wine risks being flattened by purely commercial or ideological logic, the document aims to refocus attention on the human and cultural aspects of wine, on its ability to tell stories about territories, histories, and visions. The choice of Noto as the venue for the presentation of the “Manifesto” is no coincidence: a city that symbolizes Sicilian beauty and culture, it is the ideal place to highlight the intertwining of wine, territory, and identity, as well as the place of choice for the production of Nero d’Avola.
“Wine is contemporary because, like art and culture, it is an expression of the times in which it lives, while maintaining a constant dialogue with the past and projecting itself into the future. Wine activates relationships around the table, within the supply chain, and in dialogue with consumers. Wine is a vehicle for culture, art, and beauty. Wine, together with agricultural work, is the guardian of nature and the landscape, contributing to the development of economic and social well-being in the territories. And, in doing so, it takes on different contents and forms each time, because every single producer is unique, and every single wine is unrepeatable”, comments Alessio Planeta.
The “Manifesto di Noto” is an invitation to the entire supply chain - producers, communicators, distributors, consumers - to actively participate in creating a broader, more inclusive and responsible awareness of contemporary wine, without fearing changes in consumption and behavior but instead emphasizing how wine itself can embrace changes in society by virtue of its ever-contemporary nature and, therefore, its constant evolution. Because wine is not just a product, but a complex system composed of material resources and cultural values that has greatly contributed to defining our identity. “We hope that the “Manifesto di Noto””, concludes Alessio Planeta, “will become a permanent forum for discussion, where we can engage in open and sincere dialogue about the value of wine for our society and the challenges we all face together. Next year, we will pass the baton to other producers to continue this shared reflection in favor of wine, which we are certain will continue to be an incredible generator of beauty, pleasure, economy, sociality, and culture”.