Natural low-alcohol wines, a distinct definition from dealcoholized is needed for Confcooperative

One of the main challenges facing Italian wine is its naturally low alcohol content, a step which has now become essential in order to keep pace with evolving consumption patterns, which are increasingly more oriented toward moderate, health-conscious drinking habits. “Today, it is possible to reduce alcohol levels in a natural way, starting in the vineyard. Proper agronomic techniques and the use of the right clones allow grape ripening to be delayed, thereby limiting sugar content without compromising aromatic maturity”, explains Luca Rigotti, president of the Wine Sector at Confcooperative. “In this way - continued Rigotti - it is possible to obtain wines with a total alcohol level below 9% which are nonetheless harmonious and well balanced in terms of taste”.
“This is why, as Confcooperative (which today brings together 266 wineries and cooperative consortia, 100,000 member winegrowers and 5.2 billion euros in aggregate turnover) - Rigotti went on to say on the sidelines of Vinitaly - we have proposed that the "Wine Package" should include, within a strategy of product differentiation, a dedicated nomenclature for naturally low-alcohol wines. This is intended to avoid confusion between naturally low-alcohol wines, dealcoholized wines and non-alcoholic beverages based on dealcoholized wine, which would otherwise undermine the goals and efforts of producers who wish to offer wines which are different from dealcoholized products and which should rightly be identified by their own specific definition”.
The growing attention paid by Millennials and Gen Z to sustainability is also increasingly steering preferences toward disease-resistant grape varieties (Piwi), which allow for a significant reduction in fungicide treatments. Currently, Italy is the only country in Europe which doesn’t allow the use of resistant grape varieties for the production of PDO wines. “Whereas in France prestigious denominations such as Champagne and Bordeaux make use of them - explained Rigotti - in Italy the Consolidated Wine Act (Article 33, paragraph 6) prohibits their use. We hope for a regulatory update which will also allow Italy to begin using wines made from resistant grape varieties”.