Wine sustainability, from companies to territories. The paths Prosecco and Nobile di Montepulciano

Sustainability is no longer just an option, even in the wine world, and certification is no longer the way to demonstrate and narrate it. Furthermore, since there are many companies that are following one or another sustainability and certification standard (pending the Ministry of Agriculture’s official launch of the much-attested “single certification standard” of Italian wine), there are also more and more territories that through the Consortiums, are aiming for certification as a Denomination. The Prosecco Consortium has announced it is taking this path, as well as that of Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, in the name of the “Equalitas” protocol (the company was founded in 2015 upon the initiative of its parent company, Federdoc, together with Unione Italiana Vini, which also includes CSQA Certificazioni, Italian leader in agro-food certification, Valoritalia, the leading certifying body of wine names, Gambero Rosso, and 3AVino, a company specializing in wine financing). One could say it was an essentially “natural” choice, because the “cradle” of Equalitas was the pioneer winery in sustainability, Salcheto, a brand in the Montepulciano area.
“The Consorzio Vino Nobile di Montepulciano registered record growth sales in 2021, and therefore has decided to strengthen its commitment for sustainable development”, a note explained, “entrusting the task of certifying the sustainability of the protected denominations to Valoritalia, using the “Equalitas” protocol. We have made this choice at the end of a process that began a few years ago, which provided for the active participation of most of the member wine companies. It has also allowed us to mature and share a decision that will have a strong impact on the future development of the territory. The certification process should be completed by the first half of 2022, at the latest, and will acknowledge the Nobile di Montepulciano, Rosso di Montepulciano and Vinsanto di Montepulciano denominations as the first sustainable Italian denominations.
“The goal we have set ourselves”, Andrea Rossi, president of the Consorzio del Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, declared, “is as ambitious as it is fundamental on a strategic level. It means gradually changing the production and organizational profile of the companies that have adhered to this project, which are practically all of those that belong to the Consortium. On the one hand, as a matter of fact, we are introducing production methods and techniques that are more respectful towards the environment and the landscape. On the other hand, we are committed, and will continue to strengthen our commitment in the future, to guaranteeing a high standard of ethical, social and economic values, to reinforce the harmony among our companies as well as between them and the territory. When talking about sustainability we must keep in mind that the latter is made up of the environmental dimension and the economic and ethical-social dimension. Respect for collective values ​​and rights, therefore, plays a central role in this process”.
“The Consortium's choice to entrust Valoritalia with the task of certifying its denominations”, Francesco Liantonio, president of Valoritalia, declared, “represents an immense act of trust for us. We have believed in the Equalitas standard from the beginning. For years, we have invested in training our young, specialized and highly qualified collaborators, and also in promoting a protocol that is enjoying enormous success among companies and International organizations. Nobile, Rosso and Vinsanto di Montepulciano will be the first Italian denominations to be certified, but I am sure that, soon, other Consortiums will decide to follow along the same path”.
The goal towards re-launching sustainability comes at a time of great euphoria for the Consortium, which in 2021, registered 30% growth in sales of Vino Nobile, for a total of over 6.7 million bottles. Additionally, there were 2.7 million bottles of Rosso di Montepulciano and 30.000 bottles of Vinsanto produced, which bring the total volumes of the three denominations in the Consortium to over 9 million bottles. These exceptional levels had not been seen for some time, and they give high hopes for 2022.