Venosa Winery (PZ) invests ¤3.4 million in wine tourism

A significant investment that paid off with a significant increase in direct sales, winery visits, and company meetings.

President Francesco Perillo: "We expect significant economic and social benefits for the area. Our sustainable project will help revitalize the Vulture area as a wine tourism destination."

Work will begin in November to complete the renovation project at Cantina di Venosa. A large wing dedicated entirely to wine tourism is planned: the new structure will physically—and conceptually—connect the two historic production, warehouse, and service facilities, already recently reorganized and renovated: the foundation's cellar, built in 1957, and the structure built in the aftermath of the 1980 earthquake. The new project, completed by 2027, entails an investment of €3.4 million, €1.25 million of which will be financed by the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP).

"With this wine tourism project, we are nearing the end of a functional and workspace reorganization phase that has kept us busy for the past five years," emphasizes Cantina di Venosa President Francesco Perillo. "The time is finally ripe for another step forward: increasing visits to the winery and, indirectly, the number of tourists in the area. Currently, the winery shop, a simple yet welcoming space, generates an annual turnover of €700,000 from direct sales alone. With the new facility—which will include a striking meeting room, a 150-square-meter tasting room, a small kitchen, and a 400-square-meter terrace—we expect to double our turnover in the first year and recoup the investment in 6-7 years. We will employ at least 6 more people dedicated to multilingual hospitality, and most importantly," Perillo emphasizes, "through agreements with tour operators, cultural associations, and institutions, we will help boost wine tourism throughout the Vulture region."
Venosa welcomes an average of 15,000 tourists a year, rising to 70,000 in the Venosa-Lagopesole-Melfi "triangle." However, the growth potential is significantly greater. In addition to the wine and cellars of Aglianico del Vulture, there are also a significant number of lesser-known natural gems, such as the Monticchio lakes in the crater of the volcano; numerous villages rich in art and monuments, such as Venosa and Melfi themselves; and a gastronomy and artisanal tradition that boasts small-scale excellence.
The architectural design for Cantina di Venosa, by Opera 23 Ingegneria, meets environmental sustainability criteria. Part of the connecting structure between the two existing cellars will be buried underground and covered by a long grassy corridor; the materials will be biocompatible; the large windows will allow for natural light; and the low-emission glass will have an "air-conditioning" effect, keeping the interior cool in summer and warm in winter. Energy-efficient solutions and water treatment and recycling are also planned. Finally, a wine tourism mapping of the vineyards (800 hectares) will be provided, with equipped rest areas and a fleet of bicycles and electric cars available to wine tourists.

Cantina di Venosa currently occupies 3,500 square meters of floor space with its two operational facilities; the new wine tourism wing adds 1,100 square meters of floor space on two levels. From a production standpoint, Cantina di Venosa is committed to further increasing its bottled wine production in the coming years, which currently stands at 2.2 million bottles, with a potential of 5 million. Over the past five years, the Lucanian cooperative (800 hectares, 350 winegrower members) has seen its bottled wine production grow by 169%.