The “Excellent Vine Award”, unique in Europe, goes to farmers, the “Landscape Sculptors”

Farmers are not only agricultural producers, but also “landscape sculptors”. They have always been the star players transforming our countryside as well as custodians of the territory. The “Excellent Vine Award” is dedicated to the best Marzemino vineyard - the famous vine of Vallagarina and one of the symbolic wines of Trentino winemaking - which Mozart also mentioned in his opera “Don Giovanni” (and Winenews has been on the jury over the past few years, ed.), unique in Italy and Europe. It was created in 2001 to enhance the important link between viticulture and landscape as well as the farmers’ active role in doing so. Giovanni Frapporti, a winemaker, under 30 years old, is from Folaso di Isera and has won the 2023 edition for the most beautiful vineyard in Marzemino. Second and third places were awarded to the winemakers Luciano Pizzini and Filippo Tonini. Nereo Pederzolli, journalist and historical signature in Trentino as well as the author of a documentary on the history of Marzemino, won the "Francesco Graziola" Literary Award.
“The winemaker”, explained the Commission’s reasons regarding the award given to Frapporti, “ has managed, even if in a hilly area, to make a double pergola in Marzemino, an example of a balanced vineyard, with healthy and ripening bunches. The plants have a very active foliar system, and we have not found any problems regarding their treatment of fungal diseases”. The commission, chaired by Attilio Scienza, including Marco Stefanini, Duilio Porro, Bruno Mattè, Francesco Penner, Enzo Merz, Nereo Pederzolli, Carlo Rossi and Franco Nicolodi, and this year the new entry, the architect, Nicla D’Aquilio, expert in urban planning, landscape and beauty construction. In her speech, the architect Nicla D’Aquilio stated, “the most fitting definition of the term landscape is the appearance of the places in which we live, the formal outcome of man’s work and transformations”, and in Vallagarina this is characterized precisely by the presence of vineyards. In reference to the analyses carried out during visits to the vineyards, she emphasized the creativity perceived in the care, in the passages and in the spaces separating the road. She also added the importance of the choice of materials used in the vineyard.
During the meeting, Attilio Scienza, one of the leading viticulture experts in the world, called attention to the fact that they chose to organize the awards ceremony in conjunction with Summer School number 1, named for Sergio Ferrari. The aim is to transfer to the participants, among lectures and round tables with professionals in the sector, the knowledge to spread precise and documented information to the general public on the most current and “hot” issues linked to agri-food production, banning urban legends and fake news. “This was one of Sergio Ferrari’s biggest dreams”, Attilio Scienza said, “as he considered this type of training for journalists fundamental to bring the agricultural world and consumers into contact with each other”.
The presentation of the “Francesco Graziola” Literary prize was awarded to the journalist Nereo Pederzolli, because “he has followed, since its beginnings, the best vineyard in Isera, retracing the long history of Marzemino, and contributed, with his critical reflections, to giving new energy to its ancient vineyards. Pederzolli’s words and images have sought the roots of the work, the intelligence and a product that have accompanied human history over the centuries, which have fueled art and creativity and which have always expressed and affirmed freedom”.