The Common Heritage Wine Foundation is born

The Fondazione Vino Patrimonio Comune, whose founding members are Federvini and Alleanza delle Cooperative Italiane - Agroalimentare with the aim of consolidating the value of Italian wine and to contribute to the defense and support of the heritage of the country's wine companies, was presented on Nov. 15 at a press conference at the Cavour Hall of the Ministry of Agriculture of Food Sovereignty and Forestry.

An authentic wine, for which the typicality and correspondence with the territory of origin is ascertained, is synonymous with respect for consumers and a guarantee in commercial relations. From this need for authenticity, which is widespread in Italy and Europe, the Vino Patrimonio Comune nonprofit project was born to offer an answer to the needs of member companies and a reliable tool available to operators in the wine sector.

The Vino Patrimonio Comune Foundation was thus created to support the companies that have believed in the project from the outset and, more generally, the national wine industry through an authoritative and independent coordination system of its technical and strategic expertise. In particular, the Foundation will work to study the profiles of authenticity and sustainability of products, businesses and territories, qualities that are at the basis of the appreciation of Made in Italy in the world.

There have been many projects and initiatives over the years that have supported the maturation of skills both in the vineyard and in the cellar, also bringing the public closer to conscious and responsible consumption, but much remains to be done in terms of promoting the intangible elements of wine, starting with its centuries-old historical and cultural bearing. The latter is a point that, also by virtue of the development of the Foundation project, will be able to guarantee new growth prospects for the sector.

"We are celebrating today the establishment of a Foundation that was created by producers for producers to strengthen and consolidate the value of wine and its viticulture as an ambassador of Italianness in the world. It is an ambitious project, pioneering in its conception, which aims to impart a strong systemic direction capable of contributing to the defense and enhancement of the heritage of wine companies, supporting the safe start of the process of technological and organizational innovation of the wine ecosystem towards sustainable development models that safeguard quality and profitability along the entire value chain. We intend to connect businesses, the consumer and the market, with the public bodies in charge of research, protection and enhancement of Italian wine production and the best performers of organizations, consortia, research bodies, supply chain, companies and the trade world," said Marcello Lunelli, President of the Wine Heritage Foundation.

That of the Wine Heritage Foundation is a journey that comes to fruition today, launched in an initial embryonic phase in 2020 with a preliminary study of the variability of stable oxygen and hydrogen isotope ratios of must/wine water in relation to key natural and agronomic and oenological process variables. The pilot project resulted in the definition of the water isotope profile of musts and wines, thanks to which the first Experimental Data Bank Wine Common Heritage 2020-2023 began to take shape.

A study that, starting with next year's vintage, will expand further by involving more players from institutions, research, businesses, certification bodies and commercial stakeholders in the world of wine.

The first term as president of the Vino Patrimonio Comune Foundation was given to Marcello Lunelli, vice-president of Cantine Ferrari, while Luca Rigotti, president of Gruppo Mezzacorona and coordinator of the wine sector of Alleanza delle Cooperative, was appointed as vice-president. The Foundation has a 50-50 Board of Directors representing the two founding associations, an Executive Committee and a Scientific Committee composed of leading figures from the world of research with proven experience in the agri-food and wine sectors.