Without forgetting that since 2017 Terre d'Oltrepò has also owned La Versa, one of the most important historic wine brands in our country, a pioneer in the production of the highest quality classic method.
"I have been President of Terre d'Oltrepò for less than a year - explains Enrico Bardone - but I immediately took action to make the most of all the extraordinary potential that our
large cooperative group. A cooperative that should always be remembered not only has a role
key to the economic sustainability of its members but also has a great responsibility on the
face of all the reputation, image of the Oltrepò Pavese".
And it was these two great awarenesses that guided Terre d'Oltrepò's development strategy which is based on the expansion of bottled volumes on a par with an increase in margins.
"In my first 11 months of presidency - continues Bardone - it was a priority to identify all of them
those strategies able to increase the profitability of our Cellar."
The objectives achieved and those started in the work of the current Board of Directors are listed below.
A. for the eleven months in which he remained in office:
- Structuring of the company management (totally absent previously) in particular with the figures of the General Manager and the Sales Manager, as well as the oenologist in charge of the Broni plant;
- Preparation and unanimous approval of the three-year development plan;
- Launch of cost saving actions which led to a significant reduction of the same;
- Analysis for a reduction in personnel costs also through the use of social shock absorbers
such as the solidarity contract which should have started in the month of February;
- Enhancement, in the pre-harvest phase, of the Pinot Noir grape at €uro 70.00 per quintal. This choice,
operated for the first time in the history of the Cellar, it forced the mediators of the territory to place themselves on that value and convinced some non-Member winemakers to deliver the grapes to the Cellar;
"On this last front - explains Bardone - we must never forget that the Oltrepò
Pavese represents the Italian territory with the greatest qualitative vocation for what it is
considered perhaps the most prestigious vine in the world, Pinot Noir of which our cooperative is the largest producer in our appellation. A vine that also represents the ideal variety for the production of high-quality classic method".
- Advance payments of the first advances on the 2022 harvest increased by 50.00% compared to the previous one with the commitment of the Council to increase the value of the grapes compared to the balance of the 2021 harvest.
- Approval and start-up of the projects for the waste purification plants for Broni and Casteggio
which over the last few years have led to high administrative fines and for which
completion is expected for the 2023 harvest;
- Award of non-repayable loan under the PNRR Agrisolare tender for the
construction of a new photovoltaic system in Broni.
The planning of the commercial activity in Italy and abroad continues through the establishment of a structure of agents for the horeca channel, the selection of foreign countries in which to operate and the rebranding activity starting from the prestigious La Versa brand.
"The values of cooperation, its fundamental link with the production area, with i
its winemakers - concludes Bardone - are fundamental factors in the identity of our winery and
we believe it is crucial to make them emerge in a much clearer way than in the past. We are
proud of our identity and we are convinced that being a cooperative can never be better today
represent an added value both in terms of wine qualification but also in terms of sustainability
economic, social and environmental aspects of a territory".
