Slow Wine Fair 2023

IN ITALY THERE ARE 341 DOC AND 78 DOCG WINES: 419 DENOMINATIONS OVERALL, WITH THE PIEDMONT HAVING THE LARGEST NUMBER.

Beyond the numbers, what are the positive aspects of these denominations? And what aspects need to be revisited? Regarding the value of denominations in absolute terms, we have no doubts. There’s an idea at the core, to restore value to local areas which has ancient origins and cultural raison d’etre that’s justified by the tentacular growth of the industrialized agrifood industry, which tends to dilute the value of products and erode the economic margins of producers.

On the other hand, the list of denominations gives us a vision that’s too fragmented and incoherent from a historical point of view; some denominations are marginalized, inconsistent, and there’s a lack of a unified national vision, even in some cases a unified regional vision.

In this rich and complex panorama – which deserves to be studied – a new tendency is emerging. In recent times there have been numerous cases of winemakers who choose to leave a DOC or a DOCG, and on the other hand there are consortiums who exclude producers who have every right to be part of the denomination; wines which are often award-winning.

This conference will explore the reasons for the growing lack of trust in this system, and reflect on how we can revisit it and adapt it to the current playing field.

Speakers: 

• Alberto Grandi, Professor of European History and Economic History and Food History at the University of Parma
• Matilde Poggi, President of CEVI (Confédération Européenne des Vignerons Indépendants) and winemaker
• Iacopo di Teodoro, distributor at Artisanal Cellars
• Chiara Bolner, Director of Agriculture and Rural Development for the European Commission

THE CONFERENCES OF THE SLOW WINE FAIR ARE HELD ONLINE IN THE WEEKS BEFORE THE FAIR IN BOLOGNA, AND ARE OPEN TO ALL. YOU MUST REGISTER IN ORDER TO FOLLOW THE CONFERENCE WITH LIVE TRANSLATION. THE CONFERENCES WILL ALSO BE BROADCAST LIVE – WITHOUT TRANSLATION – ON THE HOME PAGE. YOU CAN REQUEST A CERTIFICATE OF PARTICIPATION BY WRITING TO [email protected]. IN ORDER TO RECEIVE THE CERTIFICATE YOU MUST PARTICIPATE IN THE ZOOM CALL WITH YOUR NAME AND SURNAME INDICATED.

2022 WILL BE REMEMBERED AS ONE OF THE HOTTEST, DRIEST YEARS EVER… SO FAR.

The effects of global warming are evident, and catastrophic, above all for those who work in the countryside. In 2022 we’ve had numerous problems, from asphyxiated vines to grape brunches with almost no veraison, espalier-grown vines where steel wires were still visible because they hadn’t been covered by vine growth, harmful insects, a prolonged lack of water… and then there are the measures we’ve put in place to mitigate the crisis, from systems to maintain or increase soil fertility to community collaboration to make wineries more economically sustainable.

Winemakers, facing such an emergency, have responded by trying to interpret the needs of their plants and learn for the future, applying an ecosystemic approach. They’ve seen the message that nature is sending us up close. Now we must dedicate our energies to study, to scientific research and to enacting practicable solutions.

How can we confront the climate crisis, starting with the soil? What signs should winemakers be looking for in their vines? What role does agroecology play? What are the fundamental steps to take in the vineyard in order to reduce environmental impact and mitigate the climate crisis?

Speakers:

• Adriano Zago, founder of Cambium Formazione, the first international Master’s course in biodynamic wine
• Franco Meggio, Professor in the Department of Agronomy, University of Padova
• Alberto Acedo, co-founder of Biome Makers, biotecnology entrepreneur
• Martina Broggio, sustainable viticulture consultant

THE CONFERENCES OF THE SLOW WINE FAIR ARE HELD ONLINE IN THE WEEKS BEFORE THE FAIR IN BOLOGNA, AND ARE OPEN TO ALL. YOU MUST REGISTER IN ORDER TO FOLLOW THE CONFERENCE WITH LIVE TRANSLATION. THE CONFERENCES WILL ALSO BE BROADCAST LIVE – WITHOUT TRANSLATION – ON THE HOME PAGE. YOU CAN REQUEST A CERTIFICATE OF PARTICIPATION BY WRITING TO [email protected]. IN ORDER TO RECEIVE THE CERTIFICATE YOU MUST PARTICIPATE IN THE ZOOM CALL WITH YOUR NAME AND SURNAME INDICATED.

THOUGH WE’RE LIVING THROUGH A TIME OF GREAT CHANGE, ORGANIC PRODUCTS SAW THEIR GROWTH CONTINUE IN 2022. ITALIAN ORGANIC PRODUCTS GREW IN EXPORTS BY 11%, WITH ORGANIC WINE IN PARTICULAR GROWING BY 19%.

It’s difficult to pinpoint the reasons for this success. Organic products are seen as high-quality, with a stronger link to their local areas and more virtuous production methods, as well as being healthier than the products of conventional agriculture. Organic wines are increasingly present in wine stores and wine bars, but are not as widely consumed as they perhaps should be because of their higher price, which poses a problem for both producers and consumers.

Sometimes, indeed, organic wine risks being seen as a fashion, so it’s important that we take further steps to raise public awareness of the benefits of organic agriculture for soil fertility, for plant health, and for parsimonious resource use – above all water use – as well as a form of climate change mitigation.

Thanks to a partnership with Federbio (The Italian Federation for Organic and Biodynamic Produce) we’re holding a conference to reflect on organic farming, starting with an analysis of the current situation and then drawing some potential future scenarios.

Speakers: 

• Emanuele Busacca, IFOAM Europe
• Carlo Bazzocchi, President of AtBio (National Association for Technicans and Inspectors of Organic Farms)
• Michele Bono, viticulture and enology team, FiBL Switzerland
• Eduardo Tilatti, certification manager for Demeter – Latin America

Moderator: Maria Grazia Mammuccini, President of Federbio

THE CONFERENCES OF THE SLOW WINE FAIR ARE HELD ONLINE IN THE WEEKS BEFORE THE FAIR IN BOLOGNA, AND ARE OPEN TO ALL. YOU MUST REGISTER IN ORDER TO FOLLOW THE CONFERENCE WITH LIVE TRANSLATION. THE CONFERENCES WILL ALSO BE BROADCAST LIVE – WITHOUT TRANSLATION – ON THE HOME PAGE. YOU CAN REQUEST A CERTIFICATE OF PARTICIPATION BY WRITING TO [email protected]. IN ORDER TO RECEIVE THE CERTIFICATE YOU MUST PARTICIPATE IN THE ZOOM CALL WITH YOUR NAME AND SURNAME INDICATED.

LA SECONDA EDIZIONE DELLA SLOW WINE FAIR PRENDE IL VIA DOMENICA 26 FEBBRAIO ALLE 11 CON UN CONVEGNO INAUGURALE DAL TITOLO LL FUTURO DEL VINO È BUONO PULITO E GIUSTO.

La fiera, organizzata da Bologna Fiere e Sana con la direzione artistica di Slow Food, prende ispirazione dal manifesto Slow Food per il vino buono, pulito e giusto, con l’obiettivo di riunire tutti i protagonisti della filiera per mettere in atto una rivoluzione del vino all’insegna di sostenibilità ambientale, tutela del paesaggio e crescita sociale e culturale delle campagne.

Intervengono:

• Gianpiero Calzolari, Presidente di BolognaFiere
• Matteo Lepore, Sindaco di Bologna
• Alessio Mammi, Assessore all’Agricoltura Regione Emilia-Romagna
• Brunella Saccone, Direttrice agroalimentare e vini ICE Agenzia
• Barbara Nappini, Presidente Slow Food Italia
• Maria Grazia Mammuccini, Presidente FederBio
• Pau Moragas Bouyat, Vignaiolo presso L’Olivera, Spagna
• Sabiha Apaydın Gönenli, Portavoce della comunità Slow Food “Heritage Vines of Turkey” e sommelier del ristorante Mikla, Turchia

Modera: Luca Ferrua, direttore Ilgusto.it

LA PARTECIPAZIONE ALL’EVENTO È SU INVITO.

SLOW WINE FAIR È LA MANIFESTAZIONE INTERNAZIONALE DEDICATA AL VINO BUONO, PULITO E GIUSTO. DAL 26 AL 28 FEBBRAIO 2023, CONVEGNI, MASTERCLASS, E L’ESPOSIZIONE DI CENTINAIA DI CANTINE ITALIANE E INTERNAZIONALI E OLTRE 3.000 ETICHETTE. LA BIGLIETTERIA SARÀ DISPONIBILE ONLINE A FINE NOVEMBRE. ISCRIVITI ALLA NEWSLETTER PER ESSERE AGGIORNATO SU TUTTE LE NOVITÀ. #SLOWWINEFAIR2023