Sustainability, strategy and synergy. The triple "S" model for the communication and promotion of territorial excellence in the Enoteca Regionale Emilia-Romagna (Regional Wine Showcase). Interview with President Davide Frascari

Vinitaly on tour travelled to Emilia-Romagna, a wine-growing region historically committed to wine production and very active in promoting its excellence. The Regional Wine Showcase this year at Vinitaly will focus fully on expressiveness. We chatted with Davide Frascari, agronomist and President of "Enoteca Regionale dell'Emilia-Romagna". This company was founded in 1970 and today has around 240 members ranging from the border with Lombardy in Piacenza to the maritime area in the Province of Rimini. The mission of the Enoteca is to promote the region's wine heritage. The interview revealed Frascari's commitment as President of the Enoteca Regionale, on a par with his work in the vineyards of the company where he works. Our conversation highlighted how Italy is the luckiest country in the world because it can talk about itself through concepts of beauty. What is still missing is the strength to communicate the values of Made in Italy, while our biggest mistake is taking them for granted. Davide Frascari believes in the solid roots of a value chain whose future is in our hands, our ability to work as a team and cherish what has been handed down to us - which we all have a duty to protect and share. What are the main tasks performed by the Enoteca? The Enoteca carries out two main activities. The first involves the management of CMO funds and the sum of around 13 million euros allocated annually to promote wine from Emilia-Romagna in countries outside the European Union. The Enoteca manages and utilises these economic resources through requests for funds to support local companies. The second main activity concerns the organisation of trade fair events, among which Vinitaly is the most important in the world for us and we will take part again this year with many important innovations. What communication strategies do you implement to promote the excellence of Emilia-Romagna abroad? We will focus on food-wine pairings - something that is also very deeply felt all over our Region - to create synergy. Emilia-Romagna is the Italian region boasting the largest number of PDO and PGI certified products in Europe. Our products are renowned all over the world, such as Parmigiano Reggiano (Parmesan cheese) and Parma ham, to mention just two of the most famous and best loved. The importance of this aspect means we can develop the communication of the future based on synergy with food consortia. Another strong point of the wine-making system in Romagna is the enormous variety of products that co-exist without competing with each other. From the aromatic Malvasia from Candia to Gutturnio from Piacenza by way of Malvasia from Parma and Lambrusco from Reggio and Modena, through to Pignoletto from the central area around Bologna, not forgetting Sangiovesi and Albana. There is such a wealth of biodiversity that free communication specialising on each product is perfectly feasible without conflicting with others and without creating an embarrassment of choice for consumers or trade operators. For Vinitaly 2023 we have chosen to communicate our territorial identity through the timeless concept of Beauty. The entrance to Hall 1 will display a Ferrari F40, the emblem of Motor Valley, the most important brand in the world capable, like no other, of bonding itself with a prestige product boasting very high perceived value. A great attraction especially for international visitors. There will be chefs of international calibre and personalities in fashion and luxury with Emilian origins, who - thanks to their talent - have managed to export our special produce all over the world. The Parmigiano Reggiano Consortium will also take part, with master-classes about pairing Parmesan cheese of various levels of maturity with local wines. It is the finest, healthiest and most natural cheese in the world. We will also be able to deliver our message by creating a system with the Region and APT services (50% Emilia-Romagna and 49% Emilia-Romagna Chamber of Commerce Union). The strong values of a territory will converge around wine. Lastly, the Enoteca will make every effort to ensure that member companies obtain certification of sustainability of the balance sheet. Today, this certification is essential in order to access public tenders as well as to communicate with consumers. Many wine cellars are developing important projects whereby the production cycle in the cellar can be broadly roofed over by vegetation capable of absorbing carbon dioxide. Consumes pay close attention to these topics which are seen as synonymous with product quality. What do foreign visitors look for in your territory and which countries most appreciate the excellence of Emilia Romagna? Foreign visitors appreciate the easy-going nature of our region and the quality of life when staying in Emilia-Romagna. We are also working hard on the sustainability issues. The countries that most appreciate us are, first and foremost, Germany and, outside Europe, the United States still posts significant numbers. Japan is consolidating its position as a very important trade contact and, among new developments, Mexico is posting a significant increase in wine sales. We are curious about your success on the Mexican market. It doesn't seem to be one with much wine culture. Can you tell us more? It is precisely the culture of beer that opened the way for Lambrusco to enter this market over the last two years. So far, at least three important producers of Lambrusco have recorded exponential increases in sales in Mexico, at prices that ensure good margins. These are not the peaks of excellence but these exported products nevertheless ensure undisputed quality. Lambrusco is a very easy wine to pair with Mexican cuisine and is very versatile: when talking about Lambrusco, we must mention that this is a family of wines (light, rosé, dark, sweet…), not just one type. The low alcohol content of around 10.5% vol. is also appealing: it is lower than other wines and sets off the features that mean Lambrusco is seen to represent Italian wine around the world. In countries that are starting to enjoy Italian wine, Lambrusco is a trail-blazer for getting into the market and an important driving force helping to launch other types as well. The figures speak for themselves: Exports of Lambrusco account for more than 50% of its production volume. What other countries import and appreciate Lambrusco? The latest data shows that Japan is very keen on good quality Lambrusco wines that exalt its best characteristics. Suffice it to say that in our home area it is known as a dry wine, whereas in the rest of the world 90% of Lambrusco sold is sweet. Japan is one of the few countries where more dry than sweet Lambrusco is exported. This is why there is a medium-high end market for Lambrusco. Good quality Sangiovese is also in great demand in Japan, which also helps promote the wines of the Romagna area. China is very interested in still wines such as Sangiovese di Romagna. France was the first country to get into this market with important Château producers of fine still wines. This is why the approach to this market is easier for Romagna, which has an advantage compared to Emilia for mostly sparkling wines. Do other Asian countries know about and appreciate the excellence of Emilia-Romagna wines? Importers tell us that South East Asia and the Philippines are countries that have invested heavily in Italian wines. There is a lot of vision involved in insisting on the medium-high segment for our wines. The great advantage of wines from our region is that even our high-end wines are very affordable. Keeping wine prices at popular levels ensures people can enjoy quality. Do you think we are communicating well in Italy or are we focusing too much on international markets? Without a doubt we Italians take our workhorses for granted. Made in Italy is well appreciated and highly valued worldwide and much more than we imagine. We should create more synergy, communicate with more determination and join forces with the overall food system because being Italian is a real strong-point, synonymous with history and quality. We do not take all this into consideration because it is physiological and simply a part of us. Yet, markets abroad really seek this awareness on our part. Emilia-Romagna has always been renowned as the par excellence Italian region for hospitality, the "good life" and excellent food. How do quality and sustainability match up today? Sustainability is a vital precept for selling Italian produce, both at home and around the world. We are well aware that there are various levels of sustainability: environmental, economic and social. Environmental sustainability is now inherent in the mentality and lifestyle of northern European countries such as Sweden, Norway and Finland, where sustainability practices are very well established. In Canada, environmental sustainability has consolidated and there is a very strong focus on economic sustainability, but above all on social sustainability. In Emilia-Romagna, all three sustainability levels have seen positive responses: environmental sustainability is achieved thanks to large companies operating in a virtuous circular economy regime for waste recovery; economic sustainability because the world of wine in Emilia-Romagna boasts a 50% cooperative base, a modus operandi which is in the Region's DNA: distributing profits among members is an example of perfect sustainability within a supply chain. Social sustainability works because we live in an area that has always paid close attention to employment and work quality. This is an additional opportunity we will have in the coming years to establish ourselves in the markets mentioned above. Many small wineries are also coming to the fore. How do they contribute towards creating a system alongside the large groups? The strength of our region lies in the integration between large cooperative groups and their ability to work with determination on tackle foreign markets, and small winegrowers who are the guardians of our territories. The cooperative groups are made up of thousands of small producers with a smaller average landholding than small winegrowers with their own cellars. When large groups are mentioned, we assume they are monolithic giants. In truth, nothing would be possible without the thousands of wine-growing members working an average area of less than 2 hectares of vineyards. Selling wine today means promoting local areas: it is impossible to separate products from their place of origin. Until a few years ago, wine was considered to be a food and this becomes clear when comparing consumption associated with a different lifestyle than to today, when 30-40% of the population worked in the fields. Today, consumption has fallen a great deal: we have gone from the 100 litres per capita in the 1970s to 30 litres per capita now. Wine consumption has fallen to one-third of previous levels. What has increased is the value of wine and this is a positive factor because it means that the trend is increasingly towards finding quality products. Small producers also have a special sensitivity for their land which helps promote places through the wine tourism phenomenon, which attracts visitors from all over the world. Tourists visit our area mainly for our engines - but while they are here, they also have the chance to visit an area that benefits from their presence, thanks to the hospitality ensured by these small wine producers. We have recorded an exponential increase in overnight stays in farm holiday centres, especially by foreign tourists because they know they can find quality of life and experience nature typical of authentic Italy. The work of small businesses is essential. One of the most important missions for our Enoteca will be to keep large and small groups together in the same showcase as a winning combination. Pride and love for our land, the search for quality and synergy and promoting our values abroad. In this context and many new features, Enoteca Regionale dell'Emilia Romagna looks forward to meeting you at Vinitaly 2-5 April 2023 in Hall 1.