Schenk Italian Wineries invests: 37 hectares of vineyard in Puglia and 6 hectares in Montepulciano

If the wine market, in this first abundant half of 2023, has not shone, overall, there is no shortage of leading realities capable of doing significantly better than average. Such as Schenk Italian Wineries, led by Daniele Simoni and the backbone of the Schenk Group (founded in Switzerland and capable of putting together 3,500 hectares of vineyards between Switzerland, France, Italy, and Spain and a proprietary sales network in Germany, Belgium, and the United Kingdom), which not only put up double-digit growth in the first half of 2023, with an aggregate turnover as of June 30 of 66.8 million euros (+14% over the same period in 2022), and a shipped volume of 21.9 million liters that raises 8.5% over 2022, but also put in place major investments with the acquisition of 37 hectares of organically managed vineyard in Salento for Tenute Masso Antico, adjoining the 70 already acquired in 2021 for the estate in Puglia, and 6 hectares destined for vineyards, yet to be planted, in Montepulciano, Tuscany, in Vino Nobile land, for Lunadoro, adding to the 12 hectares of vineyard already owned by the Poliziana estate (including 10 hectares in Sangiovese and 2 hectares in Merlot and Cabernet, out of a total of 45 hectares of land) acquired by Schenk of 2016.
“The economic data confirm the goodness of the strategies put in place in recent years, despite the difficulties generated by national and international contingencies: the export share has remained stable at 69% of the total, with Germany, Russia and the U.S. on the podium of the main exporting countries, at 25%, 15% and 11% respectively. While the Italian market has performed well in this first half of the year thanks to its strong and steady penetration in the Horeca market, the weight of inflation and the weakness of local currencies is starting to be felt slightly in northern European markets. The forecast for the performance in the second half of the year remains delicate, which will be a major challenge for the Italian wine sector. We remain, however, moderately optimistic and continue to invest in terms of plants and production, always in the sign of sustainability and quality”, comments Daniele Simoni, CEO of Schenk Italian Wineries, taking a snapshot of the reality of the first half of 2023 of the Ora-based company, which, with a production of 55 million bottles and an aggregate Group turnover estimated at 140 million euros in 2022, confirms itself among the most significant and solid wine-making realities in Italy. Numbers, moreover, destined to grow, thanks in part to investments in sustainability and upgrading of production facilities, cornerstones of the company’s strategy in the past three years and in the future.

“Schenk Italia continues in its integrated supply chain strategy with the acquisition of 6 hectares of exceptional soil and climate value south of the current Lunadoro land in Montepulciano, Tuscany, on which we will plant new vines for the cultivation of high quality grapes and the production of a superior Nobile wine”, announces CEO Simoni. “In addition, we have recently acquired an additional 37 hectares under organic management in Salento, which will be added to the 70 hectares already acquired in 2021 by our Apulian estate Tenute Masso Antico. The enormous commercial success of the Masso Antico brand internationally, which covers the most important Apulian appellations and focuses mainly on Primitivo del Salento, has convinced the Swiss multinational owned by the Schenk Family to increase agricultural development in the area to give further strength and consistency to the brand, continuing on the path of quality and sustainability undertaken in 2017. The decision to invest in organically managed land allows Schenk Italian Wineries to add one more piece to the green path of its companies. A path that, at the end of 2023, will see the completion of the conversion to organic of all the vineyards of the Lunadoro winery in Montepulciano, and the installation of solar panels for the production of clean energy on the roofs of the winery, which will lead to energy savings amounting to 40% of the total needs”, Simoni adds.
The Lunadoro winery, one of the group’s flagships, with the estate’s CEO, Adriano Annovi, then explains that “with this acquisition we are raising the bar even higher. Not only do projections tell us that we will be able to increase production by more than 20,000 bottles, which for a company of our size would already be a very good result. But, thanks to the location of the land with exceptional soil and climate value on which we will plant the new vines, we will be able to obtain very high quality grapes for a superior wine. It will obviously take time, but, as they say, time is a gentleman and we know how to wait”. Production of Lunadoro is likely to increase from the current 80,000 annual bottles to more than 100,000. Still being studied is the grape variety that will be planted on the new land starting in 2024. “Definitely Sangiovese”, Annovi continues, “but the choice could also fall on native and/or international grape varieties. No further significant investments in the winery will be necessary as the recent renovations and the recent expansion of the cooperage will put us in a position to manage the increased production without further economic efforts”. Lunadoro’s new vineyard will stand on the top of a hill where the best ventilation, sun and light in the optimal amounts, and perfect weather conditions for vine cultivation and grape ripening coexist. The new land will also make it possible to increase the buffer zone around the vineyards, which are completing their conversion to organic, to avoid contamination. The acquisition will also facilitate the sustainability path undertaken by the company with the planting of hedges, a small forest and meadows to support biodiversity. “When we decided to convert our land to organic in 2019”, Annovi continues, “we had the goal of producing high-quality wines that would impact the environment as little as possible because we are deeply attached to the land that hosts us and we want to preserve its natural characteristics. It is this that allows us to obtain precious fruits to transform them into quality wines to be exported all over the world as one of the best calling cards of agribusiness made in Italy. Being sustainable for us is not just a commercial action that we can communicate on the label, but it is a concrete commitment to take care of this wonderful territory”.