What is sustainable wine growing and why are more and more companies practicing it? Farmers and wine growers have become aware that a more sustainable use of natural resources is necessary. However, also the market demand for organic and sustainable wines in increasing.
What is sustainable wine growing?
Let’s start with the definition of sustainable wine growing: the first to be applied was proposed by the the IOV – International Organization of Vine and Wine. The institution identifies sustainable wine growing as a global approach to the production and processing of grapes. This approach:
- promotes long-term economic activity, considering both the companies and the region where they work;
- strives to obtain high quality products;
- considers the impact on the environment, but also protects consumers health;
- takes into account the historical, cultural and aesthetic elements linked to wine growing.
A complex definition which has an important advantage: it considers different dimensions of the wine sector. This is also true for the Italian market, where sustainable wine is consolidated trend:
- The 2022 “Agriculture 100” report published by Reale Mutua and Confagricoltura indicates that 54.8% of wineries are at a high or medium-high level of sustainability. Over two thousand companies have been interviewed, and 99.8% of them undertook at least one action to promote sustainability in 2021
- From the conference “Can sustainability create added value for the world of wine?” organized by Gambero Rosso in October 2021, it emerged that 17% of Italian wineries adopt the Equalitas sustainability certification. This certification considers the environmental, social, ethical and economic aspects of viticulture. We will talk about it shortly.
- The Nomisma – Valoritalia report published in September 2021 indicates that 20% of Italian consumers buy wines that meet environmental, social and welfare sustainability criteria. In addition, the same survey reveals that 9 out of 10 companies in the sector plan to adopt at least one certification by 2023.
But what are the main aspects to consider when it comes to sustainable viticulture?
The first obviously is environmental sustainability. This includes a reduced use of pesticides and fertilizers and the adoption of growing methods that respect biodiversity. Furthermore, companies have invested in decreasing water and energy consumption, with a consequent reduction in CO2 emissions.
Workers well-being is another element to be considered by wine growers, including fair wage, good working conditions and health protection. This last element is crucial, also with regard to the health safety of final consumers.
Other elements of sustainability are linked to the impact of the company activities on the local economy: a sustainable company promotes economic growth and generate employment that lasts over time.
Sustainable wine growing: Italian certifications
In Italy institutions, associations and companies have been working for the last ten years to promote the development of sustainability certifications in the wine sector.
At the moment, two certifications related to sustainable viticulture have been developed: VIVA and Equalitas.
The VIVA certification was developed as part of the VIVA project, launched in 2011 by the Ministry of the Environment in co-operation with different Italian universities. The wine growing companies that want to be certified must follow a rigid code that measures the sustainability performance of the entire supply chain, from the cultivation of the vine to the transformation of grapes into wine. The indicators to be considered include four aspects:
- Air: criteria and indicators that evaluate the impact of production and processing activities on climate change;
- Water: indicators expressing the impact of company activities (but also of a single wine bottle) on available water resources.
- Territory: analysis of the agronomic and technical management of the vineyard, in relation to the soil and water bodies.
- Vineyard: the impact of viticulture on the local community, the environment and local culture is assessed.
The sustainability diagnosis carried out and the data collected are validated by an external certifying body and confirmed by the Ministry of Environment. This adds transparency and effectiveness to the entire system.
A second certification for sustainable viticulture in Italy is Equalitas. It was born in 2015 thanks to Federdoc and Unione Italiana Vini and supported by CSQA auditors. The Equalitas certification considers three dimensions:
- Economic sustainability, focusing on the creation of jobs and income;
- Environmental sustainability, in terms of reduced impact on natural resources;
- Social sustainability, promoting well-being and a good quality of life for employees, and the community at large.
The analysis, in this case, considers the organization of the company, the impact of the final product on the environment and sustainability at local level. For each dimensions, a set of indicators has been defined: companies must comply with some of them, within the validity period of the certification, while less important indicators must be matched up to 30% or 10%.
The National Quality System of Integrated Production, instead, applies to various agricultural and agri-food products, not just grapes and wine. It is a standard that considers the entire supply chain: DNV, the certifying body, cooperates at national level with the Ministry of Environment.
The most important innovation in Italy, however, dates back to April 2022, when the national certification for the sustainability of the wine sector was approved. The decree is the first step to integrate the main existing certification systems into a single standard, for the first time in Europe.
Good practices and projects
Good practices and projects to promote sustainable wine growing have multiplied over time, from north to south.
Some initiatives are coordinated directly by the regions: Tuscany and Emilia Romagna, for example, have promoted various projects on the subject, also supported by European funds. Among these, the Life Green Grapes project, created to stimulate the defenses of the vine against external agents with natural methods. Veneto Region, on the other hand, has developed the “regional program for a sustainable wine sector”.
Also two of the best practices in terms of sustainable viticulture come from Veneto. The first was promoted by the Consortium for the Protection of DOC Prosecco: the consortium has been collaborating with Equalitas for years to promote the adoption of sustainability certifications among its members. The production regulations to be respected have also been modified, and the use of Folpet, Glyphosate and Mancozeb has been forbidden, due to their high impact on the environment.
The second good practice was promoted by “Società Agricola Eredi Scala Ernesto & C”., a wine growing company in Caorle, near Venice. The Agriculture 100 report, which we mentioned at the beginning, mention the company as an outstanding example of sustainability. Among other things, it has created an internal laboratory for quality control, also monitoring workplace safety and the efficient use of natural resources.
In Lazio Region a group of small local wineries focuses on reduced production and the rediscovery of native vines. The oldest winemaking traditions have been re-discovered and, adopted, together with natural cultivation methods, including spontaneous fermentation from the grapes own yeasts.
Going further south, Sicily has promoted its own sustainability certification called SOStain. The code of conduct include ten specific criteria to be respected. Vineyard management, biodiversity protection, precise limits to the use of chemicals in wine growing and production: these are just some of the elements needed to obtain the certification.
Raising awareness of the wine growing sector good practices related to sustainability is essential to promote their dissemination. This is also the point of view of Angelo Frascarelli, the President of Ismea, the Italian Institute of Services for the Agricultural and Agri-food Market. In a recent interview dedicated to the world of wine, Frascarelli stated that “Environmental sustainability must be told and explained”.
Explain, tell, disseminate: these are crucial steps, above all because consumers are increasingly attentive and informed. If you want to better communicate what your company is doing in terms of sustainable viticulture, fill out the form below and contact us: the Green Marketing Italia team is ready to support you.