INITIATIVE AIMS TO SAVE ITALIAN GRAPE VARIETIES

Published: 23 July, 2008

By Nicolas Belfrage MW & Franco Ziliani

The Associazione Citt del Vino has launched an important initiative which brings together 500 wine-oriented communes throughout Italy - from Soave to Montalcino, from Barolo to Marsala to Frascati. The initiative, whose purpose is to safeguard around 350 officially recognised ancient indigenous grape varieties, was announced by the group's president, Paolo Saturnini, in a letter sent to the mayors of all Italian wine communes. The letter asked for a list of all the vines cultivated in their areas in order of importance, highlighting those under risk of disappearance, and sounded out their availability to participate in a recovery programme and their willingness to contribute funds to such a programme. In addition to Citt del Vino, the promoters of the programme would be the Ente Fiere of Gorizia in Friuli, Pro Vites of Mezzolombardo in Trentino and the University of Milan. The data obtained will constitute the basis for ongoing research in viticultural and oenological circles into the problems of safeguarding the varieties identified.

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