THE CONSORTIUM FOR THE PROTECTION OF DOC WINE SICILIA PROTAGONIST AT THE 29TH ENOSIMPOSIUM OF ASSOENOLOGI SICILIA

From 5 to 7 July Pollina (PA) will host the 29th Assoenologi Sicilia Enosimposium, a highly relevant event dedicated to the theme " The winemaker between history and future: territory, research and culture ". In this prestigious context, the Consortium for the Protection of DOC Sicilia Wines will be the protagonist of the second day, Saturday 6 July, with the conference: "DOC Sicilia, the System for Viticultural Research and Enological Innovation". The oenologist Giuseppe Figlioli , member of the Board of Directors of the DOC Sicilia and coordinator of the research projects, underlined the importance of this appointment: " This year too, the Enosimposium organized by Assoenologi Sicilia represents a unique opportunity to reflect and discuss key issues for our sector. With a rich program and the presence of top-level speakers, you will have the opportunity to fully explore the role of the modern-day oenologist, a key figure who has the task of enhancing the historical and cultural heritage of a territory, but also embrace technological innovation. As a Consortium, we are proud to contribute to this debate by presenting the progress of three important regional projects with high innovative value. We are in fact convinced that only thanks to constant and meticulous research work can we give shape to a cutting-edge territorial promotion path capable of providing Sicilian companies with substantial and long-lasting competitive advantages, providing an important boost to the entire wine supply chain of Sicily. ” Saturday 6 July, in fact, will be dedicated to exploring the new frontiers of wine, with a focus on the future and its challenges. During the morning, the Consortium for the Protection of DOC Sicilia Wines will present the state of the art of three regional research projects, V.IS.TA Lucido, Germoplasma and BI.VI.SI. , developed in collaboration with the Department of Agriculture , the Paulsen Institute and IRVO , three key institutions in the agricultural sector. Objectives and results will be illustrated by Antonio Rallo , President of the Consortium for the Protection of DOC Sicilia Wines, together with Riccardo Cotarella , President of Assoenologi, and Rosario Di Lorenzo , Full Professor of the University of Palermo and President of the Italian Academy of Vine and Wine . The intervention regarding the oenological evaluation of the grapes and wines of the BI.VI.SI. project. it will instead be led by Onofrio Corona , full professor and Clara Vitaggio , doctoral student at the University of Palermo, who will guide the tasting of the wines obtained from the practical application of the research projects. At the center of the interventions will be the importance of biodiversity in the Sicilian wine sector. Among the projects presented, BI.VI.SI. (Sicilian Wine Biodiversity), launched in 2022, focuses on enhancing the island's wine biodiversity, studying a wide varietal heritage ranging from the most widespread vines to the lesser-known ones. The Valorisation of Sicilian Native Vines project, which began in 2003, has as its objective the identification and collection of the intra-varietal variability of Sicilian varieties, with important results such as the registration of 11 clones and 4 relic varieties in the National Register of Varieties of Vine. Finally, the Valorization of Sicilian Viticultural Germplasm project, launched in 2020, aims to have nursery material of high agronomic value available and to register further clones and relic varieties in the National Register. The protagonists of the tasting at the end of the day will be varieties such as Nero d'Avola, Perricone, Vitrarolo, Nocera, Lucignola, Lucido and Grillo , fruit of the 2023 harvest, and varieties of Lucido from the VISTA project , one of the most widespread typologies in Sicilian viticulture, representing the long island winemaking tradition. The research project combines the work of public administrations, research institutes, companies and local authorities, with the aim of enriching the scientific debate in the sector and stimulating the national and international Polish market thanks to various scientific and informative activities planned to generate significant benefits along the entire supply chain.