An exclusive interview with Minister Lollobrigida is published today in the Gambero Rosso Daily, live from Vinitaly, announcing, among other things, that Italy will uproot the vineyards, as already announced by France. An effect of the crisis. Here is the full text.
Exclusive interview with the Minister of Agriculture which opens up to the controversial practice already implemented in France and other countries. “Greater quality and rediscovery of historic vineyards"
by Loredana Sottile
The Minister of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty and Forestry Francesco Lollobrigida has achieved a first important result within Vinitaly and it is there for all to see: a larger space, divided into two pavilions; thanks to Coldiretti, who gave him the central position right at the entrance to the Fair. And it is here that he brought the counterpart ministers from the other nations of the Organization international de la vigne et du vin, who arrived in Italy for the recently concluded first international wine conference.
This is his second Vinitaly as minister. After last year's Bacchus exhibition, what should we expect from the edition that has just begun?
This year we double it. In fact we triple it. In addition to our traditional pavilion, we have the one at the entrance to the fair (the one that until the last edition was Coldiretti's, this year in a more rearward position, ed.): 500 square meters of ancient-modern exhibition, entitled Divine Space. This year too we brought works of art, those from the Torgiano Museum. In addition, we have set up a multimedia room dedicated to wine.
What is the third element you were referring to?
On the occasion of the hundred years since the foundation of the OIV, we brought to Italy a delegation of over 30 nations who participated with ministers, undersecretaries and ambassadors in a three-day meeting entitled Wine ministerial meeting, first in Franciacorta (11 and 12 April ) and then to Verona. The paradoxical thing is that none of the European Agriculture Ministers had ever come to Vinitaly: we thus gave them the opportunity to get to know the most beautiful showcase of international wine.
Speaking of ministers and community politics, there is a topic that is starting to be talked about throughout Europe: the grubbing up of vineyards.
We also talked about it at Agrifish: it is one of the points we requested. But rather than eradication, I would talk about replacing the vineyards, to move towards greater quality, perhaps also guaranteeing the rediscovery of historic vines.
However, it would be a question of producing less, in a period characterized by a surplus of product compared to consumption...
We must remember that we don't just make wine in Europe, there are now many new areas with important wines. Italy, therefore, cannot compete with high production, because quantity does not correspond to value: less blended wine, more quality production.
There are, however, those who think that instead of resorting to eradication we could focus on dealcoholics. Indeed, the sector expects quick choices so as not to miss this opportunity. At what point is the process?
I say it brutally but clearly: when someone claims that dealcohol will allow us to open up to a new slice of the market, I always look at this statement with a certain suspicion. The risk is that the value of an excellent product will be lowered.
So there will be no progress in this direction?
We will respect the European regulations that require us to open up to this product, but on my part there will be no incentive to promote it. What I ask our entrepreneurs is to reflect: do they want to invest in something that is part of our culture or veer towards a production that probably won't make us shine. Personally I think it is unreasonable to have to call wine a drink that changes the very way the wine is produced.
Do natural wines also fall into this theme, i.e. those wines that are now everywhere but which are not recognized by law?
I consider natural wine to be that which comes from pressed grapes, which makes the must, which then carries out the fermentation: I don't know of any other more natural wines.
But there is a whole trend linked to health that pushes towards different and alternative consumption...
Reduction in consumption does not mean reduction in value. And then there is the possibility of opening up to new emerging markets.
To discover new markets, however, resources are needed, such as OCM ones. But the 2023-2024 tender presented several critical issues, so much so as to push many wineries to appeal to the TAR. What happened?
Last year, we realized that there were objective critical issues in the transparency of the paths with the risk of losing European funds, so our office followed the general direction: public money must be spent well, following the rules. This step may have created critical issues. Maybe the companies hadn't foreseen having to work with due attention. Furthermore, there will have been communication errors in the change of pace.
How can certain dynamics be avoided in the future?
The journey has already begun. We have already summoned the world of wine to the Ministry for a training course. We don't give up on having critical issues. If the problems came from the Ministry offices, I take responsibility for it, but I also want to take responsibility for leaving things better than we found them.
