We do not inherit the land from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children
Antoine de Saint-Exupery, writer
Cantina di Vicobarone sees the concept of sustainability as the best way to hand down a winery and territory to new generations, which are not impoverished and exploited, but still full of natural and human resources.
Sustainability embodies three equally important aspects:
- economic: an enterprise cannot survive without producing income
- social: people form enterprises and the territory
- environmental: the agricultural and soil cultivation activity cannot be carried out on an impoverished land.
Cantina di Vicobarone intends to focus on all the steps of the wine-making process to minimize its environmental impact on the vineyards and at the cellar, for example optimising the work carried out on the land and reducing the emissions and water consumption in the wine-making and aging processes. With regards to the social aspect, the legal form of Cantina di Vicobarone allows optimising the cooperation between wine growers at best, and its ethic profile towards employees, customers and suppliers along the entire production and commercial spheres, with the purpose to create shared value among the various stakeholders.
Cantina di Vicobarone, in collaboration with Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore di Piacenza, has decided to implement an actual social and environmental sustainability plan that will result in the definition of a series of short and medium term activities during 2013, with regards to agricultural and transformation phases.
“Approach to the eco-sustainability of agricultural and food enterprises in Emilia-Romagna: sustainability as resource at the service of the corporate business’’ is the research program that has the scope to evaluate the environmental sustainability of some agricultural and food products, by implementing the ”Life Cycle Assessment” method which considers the environmental impacts of the agricultural phase (vineyard), of the entire production process (cellar) up to the large-scale retail channel.
Cantina di Vicobarone is also taking part in the project and chose Gutturnio frizzante – Colli Piacentini DOC, as product intended for mass distribution. The purpose is to adopt sustainable methods in all the phases from the fields to the cellar: this means analysing and sharing information not only with consumers, but also with winegrowers in order to help them in ‘’planning their future’’.
During the last few years, the concept of sustainability in the wine sector has led to numerous initiatives in Italy and worldwide.
Some Italian and international projects can be found below, intended for those who wish to find out more about the topic of sustainable viticulture.
Ita.Ca is the monitoring model of the wine producing activity and can significantly contribute to reducing emissions of greenhouse gases, already tested in Franciacorta.
It groups up wine producers, scientific communities, oenologists and industry, who work together to boost the sustainability and safety of Italian wine in a tangible, effective and transparent fashion. Magis provides a specific protocol for member enterprises according to each geographic area, and a software that can assist the winegrower in order to improve his work.
Stazione Sperimentale per la Viticoltura Sostenibile
The main goals of the project are: saving resources, by lowering production costs, operating respecting the environment and human resources and create an ethically and socially responsible viticultural sector.
Tergeo also intends to make up for some lacks in terms of information and communication, as well as training and testing on field.
In Europe and worldwide
Sustainable viticulture in France
Sustainable viticulture in California:
The Californian Association of sustainable winegrape growers. It implements a certification program for Californian winegrowers. The Sustainable Winegrowing Program (SWP) aims at boosting environmental, social and economic sustainability of wine in California, by promoting the use of sustainable corporate practices.
Wineries for climate protection
It deals with different topics, among which the reduction of emissions, sustainable construction, energy, sustainable agriculture, eco-design, waste reduction, distribution, research, innovation and communication.
Certified Sustainable Wine of Chile
Sustainable Winegrowing NZ