THE COLLABORATION BETWEEN THE ALBEISA CONSORTIUM AND THE GRINZANE CAVOUR AMPELOGRAPHY COLLECTION CONTINUES FOR THE ENHANCEMENT OF RARE VINES

The wines resulting from the experimentation on the microvinification of rare vines were presented to the international press on the occasion of Nebbiolo Prima

Assessing the enological potential and the chemical-physical and sensory characteristics of rare vines found in the area and grown within the collection as well as applying different winemaking techniques to the same vine in order to identify the methods that allow it to best express its potential were the objectives underlying the research project conducted by the researchers at the CNR (the Italian National Research Council), Anna Schneider and Stefano Raimondi, and by Dr. Caudana of the Bonafous experimental winery at the University of Torino; this project was presented on the occasion of Nebbiolo Prima, an international preview event of the new vintages of Barolo, Barbaresco and Roero that have been put on the market, an event promoted by the Albeisa Consortium which was held in Alba from January 27th to 30th.

“An ambitious project of profound scientific interest – says Marina Marcarino, President of Albeisa – which fits into the context of the ever-expanding collaboration between Albeisa and the Grinzane Cavour Ampelography Collection, one of the largest collections of vines that we have the honor of hosting in our territory, and which has precisely the purpose of safeguarding genetic resources that are threatened with disappearance.”

Inside the winery of the Bonafous center, which was designed ad hoc for research, tests have been carried out since 2003 on single-variety vinification of some rare vines present in experimental fields in the Piemonte area. A real laboratory where small quantities of grapes are vinified, usually from 30 to 100 kg, using equipment and techniques similar to those used in large wineries.

“All the vinifications made – explains Alberto Caudana, the person in charge of the project – are subjected to process traceability through an integrated system for data collection and for the management of the flow of vinification. In recent years we have carried out vinifications of whites, vinifications of rosés, vinifications of reds, but also vinifications for partially fermented sweet wines, for sweet passito wines, for sweet wines that were alcohilized and converted into sparkling wines via the classic method. All this work has made it possible to gather extremely valuable information of a biological and genetic nature regarding the cultural characteristics and the enological potential of little-known varieties of vine or innovative technological processes.”

A synergy between the Albeisa Consortium and the Grinzane Cavour Collection which has lasted for years and which sees the reality of the consortium engaged at the forefront in supporting the Collection also through the care of the ancient and rare vines present in this open-air museum as well as through the promotion of the scientific activities that are carried out there.

During the preview, the international press was able to taste the wines resulting from this experimentation, such as the Liseiret 2021 in the sparkling version, the Pignolo Spano 2021 and even a Pignolo Spano 2008 obtained from the a forementioned previous research.

The government label on the bottles becomes reality

A system for guaranteeing authenticity, aimed at the protection of producers and consumers of DOC-branded bottles: it is the system of government labels, which from January 1st, 2022 accompanies the DOC Sicilia wines and traces all the phases of each single bottle life. A path that started some time ago by the Consortium for the Protection of DOC Sicilia Wines, which in 2018 had made the decision to introduce the label issued by the Government Mint. 

Moreover, the State label, which is mandatory only for DOCG denominations (in Sicily the Cerasuolo of Vittoria wine) is now the exclusive asset of the most important Italian DOCs: adopting and attaching the alphanumeric code that characterizes the band means being able to control the entire cycle of grape processing, from the vineyard to the bottle. The steadily increasing production of DOC Sicilia branded bottles sold in Europe and throughout the world, increases the risk of counterfeiting and of the improper use of the name of the Denomination on foreign markets. 

The initiative was strongly supported by the Board of Directors of the Consortium for the Protection of DOC Sicilia Wines chaired by Antonio Rallo. «Enhancement, protection and supervision: these are the key words in reference to the activity of the Consosrtium of DOC Sicilia Wines – affirms the President. – And it is precisely with regard to supervision and protection that the introduction of State labels from January 1st, 2022 represents an important innovation that guarantees the traceability of all our bottles life stages. Moreover, if on the one hand, the continuous growth of DOC Sicilia wines number sold in Europe and around the world rewards the work of the island’s wineries, on the other hand, it requires strengthening supervision. The introduction of the labels contrasts in the best possible way any counterfeits and thus it protects both consumers and producers who respect the rules of DOC Sicilia brands.”  

The new system is managed by the Regional Institute of Wine and Oil, a regional public body with the function of control that is recognized by Accredia (the national validation agency). “DOC Sicilia – declares Gaetano Aprilethe director of the Regional Institute of Wine and Oil, – represents almost 86% of the certified bottled products of Sicily and has about 500 bottlers: these numbers give an idea of how the labels management represents a complex challenge, which our institute is ready to take on. In order to meet the needs of the sector, it will not only be necessary to have a large number of labels available, but fast distribution times will also have to be guaranteed”. 

How the label works 

The system of labels guarantees the complete traceability of each bottle thanks to the anti-counterfeiting measures of the State labels. The labels are printed by the Polygraphic Institute and Government Mint using special watermarks and fluorescent inks, visible and invisible elements that certify the authenticity of the product. The system of applying the label when sealing the bottles makes it impossible to reuse them, with the maximum guarantee of veracity. Each special mark has an alphanumeric code containing a progressive identification number that distinguishes each single bottle placed on the market. In addition, each label on the bottles can be read by all smartphones on which the Trust Your Wine App has been previously installed, which can be downloaded for free from the iOS and Android stores.