The wine with designation of origin is an impressive product, the result of the symbiosis of natural factors, like climate, soil and grape variety, and human factors, like customs, technological choices and research. With the recognition of the Arcole designation of origin published on 13/09/2000, an extensive area of high wine–growing tradition of Verona and Vicenza went in this way to further redevelop its productions.
The production zone is located, in effect, in the municipalities of Arcole, Cologna Veneta, Albaredo, Zimella, Veronella, Zevio, Belfiore, Caldiero, San Bonifacio, Soave, Colognola ai Colli, Monteforte, Lavagno, Pressana, Vago and San Martino Buon Albergo in the Province of Verona ed in the municipalities of di Lonigo, Sarego, Monte, Orgiano and Sossano in the Province of Vicenza. The vineyard area which falls within the contained area enrolled in the register of the vineyards of the Arcole D.O.C. covers about 2,500 hectares in the province of Verona and about 1,000 hectares in the Province of Vicenza.
Within the production area the Regulations provide for a more restricted area with the possibility to use, next to the name of the "Arcole" designation, also the name of the grape variety. This area includes nine municipalities: those of San Bonifacio, Arcole, Caldiero, Belfiore, Zimella, Cologna Veneta, Veronella, Zevio, Albaredo d’Adige, some entirely, others only partially, all of which are located in the province of Verona.
The characteristic of this area is to have a good part of the soil with a high percentage of sand, a parameter that makes the ground more suited to growing grapes for a wine of great quality. However, the current production is actually still characterized by quite high planting distance with "a pergola veronese" forms of breeding.
The most immediate needs are, therefore, to update the ampelographic base according to what has been proposed by the specification for upgrading plants. With the need to manage and exploit this important time of transformation and productive evolution on 8th February 2001, the Consortium for the Protection of Arcole D.O.C. Wine was founded.
The producers who are members of this structure represent most of the 80% of the productive potentialities of the whole area. The same proportion of representativeness is valid as regards vinification and marketing.
According to the statutes, the Consortium is called upon to:
1. protect, enhance and look after the interests relating to the designation of origin of the Arcole D.O.C. wines, as well as:
2. carry out all the activities and tasks of Consortia by EU and national legislation in the field of wines with designation, with reference to the Law No.164/1992 and subsequent amendments and related regulations.
Another important aspect that does not appear formally in the rules of the specification and in the statute is the one related to the management of the Designation. To manage means to verify the economic impact of production on the market.
This is the great challenge that today even a young designation like the Arcole D.O.C. must face, a challenge that must also involve other parties in addition to producers, because designation and typicality are a collective heritage of an area.
