The National Labor Inspectorate: professional wine tasting is intellectual work

Professional wine tasting is intellectual work. This was established by the National Labor Inspectorate, responding to a well-argued question, prepared by the lawyer Mario Antonini in Rome, on behalf of Assoenologi, the body that represents Italian oenologists and winemakers, and Valoritalia, a leading company in the certification of wines with Designation of Origin. The question was raised to resolve a complex bureaucratic procedure provided by recent state law, the 215 of December 17, 2021, which obliges companies that use occasional self-employed workers to notify the Labor Inspectorate in advance, a measure which however does not apply to the services of an intellectual nature. For oenologists and for Valoritalia, which, in the wine sector alone, certifies 229 designations of origin and manages thousands of tasting commissions every year, the decision of the National Labor Inspectorate provides a substantial reduction in bureaucratic obligations and a speeding up of the certification process.
“An important decision - explains a joint note from Assoenologi and Valoritalia - because it fully acknowledges the mentioned reasons set out in the question, which highlights the technical contents that these professionals exercise in their business, in particular when they are asked to evaluate whether a wine has or not, the requirements to boast an indication of origin, Doc or Docg. Before becoming a Barolo, a Brunello di Montalcino or a Prosecco, in fact, the certification process involves a series of checks, the last of which is represented by the tasting by a commission made up of recognized and accredited professionals. A delicate and leading role for the entire wine production chain, on which the access to the market of thousands of Italian companies essentially depends. At the same time, these professionals perform a guaranteed function for consumers, because they evaluate that every single batch of wine destined for the market has or does not possess the quality standards established by the specific production regulations.
For Ricardo Cotarella, internationally famous oenologist, and the president of Assoenologi, “The National Labour Inspectorate has formally recognized what in our sector has always been known, namely that the professional wine tasting is the job that requires experience, preparation and competence at a very high level. All the great wines are being born and asserted with the great contribution of these professionals, in the great majority of cases represented from oenologists and winemakers”.
“The decision of the National Labor Inspectorate – underlines Giuseppe Liberatore, CEO of Valoritalia – is great news for two important reasons: the first one is that we have obtained from the state the simplification of the procedure, a result that is not at all obvious; the second one is that the professionalism of our collaborators and our way of working is recognized. The wine certification is not a common task, and much less a simple one. It implies the skills and experience that has matured over years of passionate work”.