Wine arising in soul places where vine and communities of territories are cultivated

“A convent represents an ideal of harmony between life and work, almost a lifestyle, which I have always sought throughout my journey. In a convent like this, knowledge is cultivated, but also the vegetable garden; vine is cultivated, but also friendships; care is given to the close-knit family of priests, but also to the broader community. And this is a thought which resonates deeply with me: an economy of life and work that today we call sustainable as if it was something new, when in fact belongs to an ancient tradition”. These are the words by Vittorio Moretti, president of the Vittorio and Mariella Moretti Foundation, who recently opened the doors of the evocative Convento della Santissima Annunciata in Franciacorta, a place of the soul, where wine is produced and of which the Foundation is the “guardian” to host the national conference “La cultura del vino e l’identità dei territori” - “The Culture of Wine and the Identity of Territories”, part of the winter edition of “Vini d’Abbazia”. A moment of reflection with strong cultural and symbolic value, bringing together voices from the monastic, academic, wine-making, and institutional worlds to highlight the deep connection between spiritual tradition and agricultural production showcasing the millennia-old yet contemporary role of abbeys in preserving landscapes, spreading knowledge, and producing wine in Italian territories, where they represent the cultural identity of communities and a living heritage to be passed on to future generations (as WineNews will soon present in an online video).
The backdrop is a place of great historical, spiritual, and architectural value, entrusted in 2018 by the Order of the Servants of Mary to the Vittorio and Mariella Moretti Foundation, which manages it and returns it to the community as a center of culture and hospitality. This was exemplified by “Come in famiglia” - “Like in a Family”, a public event day featuring nature walks, workshops, readings, and meetings dedicated to spirituality, culture, and the sense of community like the conference itself, held under the patronage of the Fondazione Italia Patria della Bellezza, which supports projects that enhance Italy’s authentic talent for beauty. “A wonderful place to which my family is deeply connected and which today hosts the Foundation named after my parents  - said Valentina Moretti, cultural activities delegate of the Foundation - the Convent opens its doors to the community to encourage sharing, just like in a family: spending time together, listening to one another, and nurturing what makes us feel good. It is an invitation to reconnect with nature, which teaches us circularity and the importance of taking time, preserving those values which unite us and give meaning to life”.
“The “Vini d’Abbazia” project  - added Vittorio Moretti, patron of the Terra Moretti Group, which has shaped the history of Franciacorta through the Bellavista and Contadi Castaldi wineries -  arose five years ago and fully reflects the intentions that drive our Foundation, which was established on the very day the Convent of the Santissima Annunciata was entrusted to us by the Order of the Servants of Mary (2016). This is our headquarters, and from here we aim to promote reflection on territory and identity. The Convent means a lot to us because it embodies the values we believe in. It is the historic vineyard tied to Bellavista, but also Monte Orfano, which plays a crucial role in the microclimate of Franciacorta. And it is the story of many friendships: with Father Sebastiano, who entrusted us with the vineyard; with Gianni Brera, who chose this place as his own; and with the citizens of Rovato, who see this place as a community landmark. Today, through our Foundation, we care for this Convent and commit to initiatives like this one and the entire day dedicated to the territory, opening it to families and encouraging reflection on the past and a return to our roots to find new inspiration and a renewed sense of unity. Abbeys like this one, and those of our guests, are not just relics of the past, they are places full of future”. “A place of community, a space where beauty and goodness coincide. A common good returned to the territory through the vision and generosity of those who care for it”, as Carlo Petrini, founder of Slow Food, said, also thanks to wine.
Opening the conference, Minister of Agriculture Francesco Lollobrigida, in a video message, thanked “priests and monks who, through the “Vini d’Abbazia” network, represent a model rooted in tradition, transmitting many customs and much culture related to agriculture, and not only. I also want to thank two dear friends: Renzo Cotarella and Knight of Labor Vittorio Moretti, long-time supporters of wine and key figures in promoting our exceptional product both in Italy and abroad. We are truly proud of you. Even from afar, I want to emphasize the Government’s strong support for businesses to ensure ever greater quality, creating wealth and jobs, just as monks have done throughout history with their knowledge: they preserved the land, improved it, and created much solidarity through foundations. Agriculture is also this: identity, culture, landscape protection, work, economy, biodiversity conservation, and much more. With president Giorgia Meloni, we have invested in agriculture as a central element  primary sector, not just in words, but as a first element to ensure well-being in terms of productivity, employment, and quality of life. The wine industry brings us great satisfaction: 8 billion euros in exports; we are the world’s leading producer and currently second in value. We must build on these strengths, and our abbeys, convents, and places where skilled hands have preserved and enhanced our culture over centuries have passed down technical skills and innovations. We owe much to our Church, for believers and non-believers alike, and we must remember that. Today, pairing an extraordinary product with ancient knowledge creates an exceptional experience”.
From Franciacorta to Chianti Classico, also Marchesi Antinori cares for a place of the soul, thanks to wine: Badia a Passignano, where wine rests in the cellars of the ancient monastery under the shadow of Ghirlandaio’s “Ultima Cena” - “Last Supper”, a Renaissance masterpiece restored with support from the historic wine family. “In 1983, a thousand-year-old vine was discovered inside the Badia, symbolizing a vocation spanning centuries - narrated Renzo Cotarella, ceo of Marchesi Antinori - in this estate, art, history, viticulture, and innovation have always coexisted, and our commitment goes beyond wine. Osteria di Passignano, in dialogue with the monks, has also created a visitor experience of the Badia, a concrete example of enhancement that respects history and beauty”.
From Chianti Classico to South Tyrol, Werner Waldboth, Sales & Marketing Director of Abbazia di Novacella, founded in 1142 and one of the oldest wineries in the world, emphasized how monastic tradition is central to continuity: “I believe the key to our longevity lies in being an abbey: sustainability is in our Dna, meant as the commitment to pass on what we have received to the next generation. This is how we operate in our winery, from vineyard to production, responsibly preserving everything entrusted to us”. According to Manfred Bernard, winemaker and director of Cantina Convento Muri-Gries, guardian of native grape varieties like Lagrein, always in South Tyrol, the most important legacy of monastic tradition is the idea of continuity: “we see that Christianity today faces great challenges. For monasteries, this means rethinking their future and ensuring long-term economic sustainability. In this context, viticulture plays a central role: as a cultural asset, an identity element, and a guarantee of stability”.
From South Tyrol to the Euganean Hills, Don Stefano Visintin of Abbazia di Praglia, in Padua, where monks have produced wine for nearly a thousand years, evoked the spiritual dimension of wine and viticulture: “in the past, vine cultivation and wine provided the essential means to sustain life, both one’s own and others’: wine was at once food, liturgical element, and medicine for monks and guests, through enolites. Today, these elements can become tools to highlight spiritual values such as respect for nature, workers, and consumers, through quality products and the shared memory of a long tradition”.
From the Euganean Hills to Val d’Orcia, Don Andrea Santus of Abbazia di Monte Oliveto Maggiore in Siena retraced the origins of the monastery founded by Saint Bernard Tolomei in 1319: “wine production in our community still takes on different meanings related to liturgy, work, and the relationship with creation. For us, it is deeply meaningful to use wine from our own vines and labor for the celebration of Holy Mass”.
From Val d’Orcia to Umbria, Brother Michele Badino of the Monastery of Bose in Assisi, land of Saint Francis, emphasized how, in monastic life, cultivating the land is intimately tied to environmental stewardship: “this commitment unfolds in various ways: firstly, we recovered a historic vine over fifty years old that was nearly abandoned; secondly, we cultivate it organically, respecting the environment; thirdly, we care for the vine and for life itself. Each year, the vine reminds us that grapes are a gift, and this gift becomes wine, a moment of communion and fraternity”.
An occasion like the one following the conference, which also featured Father Luigi Cavagna of the Franciscan Convent of Rodengo Saiano and rector of the Symposium Academy, also in Franciacorta, and was moderated by Rai journalist Rocco Tolfa, creator of “Vini d’Abbazia”, with a tasting of wines from the participating abbeys curated by Ais - Italian Sommelier Association of Lombardy, in a cultural-enological journey which, inside and outside the glass, gave voice to the identities of places and monastic communities.
Because, as Attilio Scienza, one of the world’s leading viticulture experts and professor at the University of Milan, said (whose full speech at the conference was published, ed), “few plants have a symbolic function like the vine, tied to the ritual and sacred use of wine which has accompanied human life for millennia. In the great cultural diversity shaped by history through the influences of the physical, biological, and human environment, culture, both in social and everyday expressions, has remained deeply connected to this minor culture, expressed in countless food traditions with infinite local variations. The history of wine is inseparable from the history of humanity. Wine, the fruit of the vine and human labor, is the essence of a millennia-old culture. It belongs to both the sacred and the profane. It is a value of civilization and a measure of quality of life. It is a cultural asset and a factor of social life. It is a condition for economic development, technological and scientific progress”.