The Wine Net: the vision of cooperation on the current moment and the near future

The press conference on December 1st, moderated by Fabio Piccoli, was an opportunity to share with the media and enthusiasts the values and objectives that The Wine Net has set itself in a period characterized by discontinuity and complexity .

The cooperatives represented in the Network come from particularly suitable Italian territories and are the expression of designations of origin of particular value in the Italian panorama: Pertinace and Cantina Colli del Soligo in northern Italy, Cantina del Morellino di Scansano and Cantina Frentana in the centre, La Guardiense and CVA Canicattì in southern Italy.

Giovanni Greco, President of the Network and of CVA Canicattì, recalls that The Wine Net is today the expression of 6 wine-growing regions, over 5,200 hectares of vineyards and 22 million bottles marketed and expresses the mission of valorising the best Italian territories and the work of the men who they work there; a sharing, that of the Network, which is not only of initiatives and investments, but also and above all human, of values .

Luca Castagnetti , who has assisted the Network from a strategic and management point of view since its establishment, approximately 7 years ago, observes that the distinctive aspect of The Wine Net is that of representing a real shared growth strategy and not a temporary aggregation like some of those that come to life in view of a fair and fail to develop growth prospects. At the basis of the success of this Network is a strong concept of trust, which has characterized the relationships since the first meetings between the cooperatives; trust that has grown over time, leading in 2021 to choose the path of acquiring legal subjectivity, which made it possible to jointly manage, in addition to promotion, also the marketing of the product.

How does the Internet read a year like the one just ended, which will long be remembered for its complexity? And how are cooperatives reacting to manage the increasingly evident effects of climate change?

Sergio Bucci, Director of Cantina del Morellino di Scansano , observes how discontinuity has now become the rule and the challenge, as a cooperative, is to manage such fluctuations in the best way, remembering that, behind 700 hectares of vineyards, families work and live , who, in emergency situations, actively cooperate to provide mutual help, minimizing the effects on quantities and maintaining an excellent level of product quality . From the point of view of vineyard management, 50% of the land is grassed to preserve the freshness of the soil; the increase in leaf coverage gives an additional hand in protecting from excessive heat.

Representing Abruzzo, among the Italian regions most affected by this year's adverse climatic conditions , Felice Di Biase, Director of Cantina Frentana , observes that in the presence of a market that is changing frenetically it is unthinkable to address the impacts on the economy of the territory without mutual support. Abruzzo, and in particular the province of Chieti, is characterized by an important presence of cooperatives: when the territory suffers like this year, recording a 70% drop in the quantities produced, despite technological progress, we must take note that we are powerless in the face of the unpredictability of nature and that " no one saves themselves", in the name of a resilience that can only draw strength from each other.

Domizio Pigna, President of La Guardiense , reported a result in line with the Campania average of a reduction of approximately 50% in quantitative terms ; by massing with the network, however, at a domestic and foreign commercial level, it is possible to face the market with the right amount of serenity regarding the future. The winery's commercial results abroad are excellent: there has been a significant growth in the number of importers served, and access to new markets; positions are also strengthening in Italy, thanks to the widespread distribution of the commercial network set up across the territory, which is counteracting the difficulties linked to the contraction in consumption.

From the land of Barbaresco, Cesare Barbero, Director of Pertinace , which represents 20 members who work around 110 hectares of vineyards, describes the last two vintages as characterized by strong drought, and a 2023 which also stood out for an impressive hailstorm, which led to a yield lower than average by 30%. The economic repercussions of the climate impact weigh on all members and the winery has undertaken direct interventions in the vineyard, introducing an agronomist consultant available to members, applying weather stations for monitoring the vineyard and carrying out frequent sampling close to the harvest, as well as indirect interventions, adopting greener cultivation policies and focusing on certification standards that guarantee maximum protection of the territory.

Last year was marked by very high increases in raw material prices: what is your assessment of the impact on your production costs and in your relationships on the markets, in particular with large-scale organized distribution?

For Cantina del Morellino di Scansano, the financial statements just closed led to a significant increase in production costs, mainly linked to the higher cost of glass. The winery has opted not to top up the delta on the sales prices , so as not to go overpriced; the choice did not depend on an express request from the large-scale retail trade, but on the awareness of the maximum price available on the shelf.

Cantina Frentana observes that the electricity sector was the one that was most affected by the increases, which more than doubled it in the space of a few months. In addition to this, the costs of raw materials made a further contribution, further reducing the gross margins of the individual wines. In contexts like the current one, maximum attention to costs is required, without forgetting that cooperatives are first and foremost companies and that, therefore, they are required to achieve profitability, where the great challenge is to escape the so-called "sandwich effect", avoiding being crushed between the somewhat controlled prices, especially in large-scale retail trade, and the growth in prices applied by suppliers.

The attack that alcoholic beverages are undergoing is increasingly evident: the World Health Organization is pushing ever harder to eliminate the differentiation between abuse and moderate consumption. What is your assessment in this regard?

Andrea Curtolo, Director of Cantina Colli del Soligo , recalls the importance of making one's voice heard towards the World Health Organization, highlighting the characteristics of drinking in a moderate way. The recent debate is giving voice to this position: in a recent event in Toulouse last October the need to clarify this sense emerged and it was confirmed that in the scientific debate the concept of the so-called "no safe level" advocated by the WHO it is actually contradicted.

It is clear that the plan necessarily shifts to the training front : it is necessary to commit to education, especially of the younger ones, and to make them understand the importance of tasting, appreciating the nuances of wines and knowing their history.

In these years of life of The Wine Net, what have been the aspects that have most favored the development of cooperatives? And, looking ahead, what do you think the Internet's contribution could be in a market phase that many observers define as revolutionary?