Luca Rigotti, new president of the DOC delle Venezie Consortium

DOC delle Venezie is the largest white wine denomination in Italy, covering 27.000 hectares of vineyards in the regions of Veneto, Friuli Venezia Giulia and the province of Trento. It produces 230 million bottles every year (in 2024, +3% in bottled volume compared to 2023, totaling more than 1.7 million hectoliters packaged). The supply chain includes 6.141 winemakers, 575 winemaking companies and 371 bottling companies, producing, alone, 85% of Italian Pinot Grigio and 43% of the world's Pinot Grigio today. Luca Rigotti (formerly president of Mezzacorona, of the wine sector of Confcooperative in Italy and of COPA-COGEGA in Europe, ed.), has taken over as president of the denomination from Albino Armani. The members at the assembly of the Consorzio di Tutela DOC delle Venezie elected him recently at the Cantina Colli Berici in Lonigo, where the program guides for the Consortium's activities over the next three-year period 2025-2028 were also approved.
“I would like to thank the councilors for their confidence in entrusting me with the leadership of the Consortium”, the new president, Luca Rigotti, assisted by vice presidents Christian Scrinzi (Collis Veneto Wine Group) and Flavio Bellomo (Cantina di Conegliano, Vittorio Veneto and Casarsa), declared, “we will continue to work in the same direction and with the same determination that the previous Board of Directors and president Armani, effectively carried out with foresight and balance. I sincerely thank president Armani for his valuable service and great commitment to the Consortium in these “foundational” years. Our primary objective will be to consolidate and strengthen the position as well as the territorial and economic value of Pinot Grigio DOC Delle Venezie, which has been confirmed the best-selling Italian still wine in the world. We will continue to promote and implement management measures for production potential, which in recent years have guaranteed significant growth for the denomination on the markets. Today, more than ever, it is essential to respond through innovation, planning and dynamism to the changes in progress. The issues, such as new consumption models, environmental, economic and social sustainability, market consolidation, and climate change, will be of the highest priority and at the center of our activities”.
The objectives of the new mandate are clear, starting with strengthening the unitary management of the largest denomination of origin in the Country. Pinot Grigio is confirmed as a pillar for the stability of the interregional production chain, as well as the leading variety at a global level. “This result rewards the commitment to quality and the certification system that has the State seal applied to each and every bottle of Pinot Grigio DOC Delle Venezie. It is a concrete demonstration of excellence and valuing one of the iconic Italian viticulture products, a symbol of Made in Italy around the world”, the Consortium explained.
“I would like to thank the Boards of Directors that I have had the honor of chairing over the past few years”, the past president Albino Armani, declared, “it is a challenging, but fruitful path for the Pinot Grigio system, which has proven and continues to prove to be a virtuous case of coordination and farsighted administration of the denomination. I wish the new president Luca Rigotti good luck, aware of the great contribution he will make to the growth of DOC Delle Venezie”. The new course of the Consortium therefore looks to the future and has a clear vision. That is, enhancing Pinot Grigio DOC Delle Venezie as an authentic expression of the territory, focusing on quality, certification, sustainability, innovation and wine culture, and aiming to further increase Pinot Grigio’s presence on all world markets.