Sep 22: With emphasis on avoiding the use of chemicals and fertilizers for grape growing and sustenance of soil, wineries are aiming for sustainable processes throughout the world but international certification for Sustainable wineries is relatively new with the 5-year old Equalitas in Italy offering the Certification services, writes Subhash Arora who feels it is an important step towards saving the planet and lauds the Valpolicella (Verona) based Tedeschi for getting the certification
Keenly aware of all issues concerning the environment, Tedeschi is among the first wineries in Verona to be certified by Equalitas, a sustainability project dedicated to wine production. Equalitas has instituted procedures to address social, environmental and economic issues- the 3 important legs on which the sustenance model is based on.
Tedeschi decided in 2018 to initiate steps to obtain voluntary certification of sustainable practice. The process involves examining all aspects of the business with particular attention to ethical issues imposed by certain markets, including the continuation of tradition, but with a vision towards the future while adhering to sustainability from agricultural management to wine production.
Equalitas was founded in 2015 by two giant agro-based Italian organisations Federdoc and Unione Italiana Vini, with a view to build on the technical and cultural achievements of the movement of stakeholders committed to developing sustainability.
This partnership was further strengthened by the participation of CSQA , one of the leading agrifood certification bodies in Italy, Gambero Rosso, Italy’s largest multimedia publisher specialising in food and wine,and 3AVino, a financial company focusing on the wine industry.
It aims to promote the sustainability of the agrifood and wine supply chains, based on an approach tailored to bringing together businesses, society and the market. The objective is to spread in Italy a unique approach to sustainability in the wine industry, built on the social, environmental and economic pillars, and a collective brand offering the best guarantee for consumers.
According to the website of Equalitas, 17 wineries have been certified so far. Allowed to call themselves as Azienda Agricola Sostenibile, a few of them are: Salcheto (Montepulciano), Barone Ricasoli (Chianti Classico), Castello d’Albola (Radda in Chianti), Caviro (Forli) Arnaldo Caprai (Montefalco), Ricci Curbastro (Franciacorta) and Allegrini (Valpolicella).
Notable among the many requirements for certification is the preparation of a sustainability report in which various data points are analyzed, including an analysis of critical areas as well as the objectives and actions for improvement.
Sabrina Tedeschi, the member of the family business focusing on marketing and communications, who was in India last year to promote their wines through Prestige Wines and Spirits, says. ‘For businesses like ours that work in the food sector, this new awareness is consistent with a desire and ability to produce products that combine food safety with supply continuity, respect for the environment, appropriate pricing as well as an ability to create value for the customer according to the rules of the market and the sector norms.’
Sabrina clarifies to delWine, ‘In Valpolicella only 3 wineries (Tedeschi Allegrini and Brigaldara) received the certification last year during Vinitaly 2019. All three of us did the training together. Last month, Tedeschi had a second audit to maintain the certification.’
She further explains the 3 pillars: The environmental indicators are the biodiversity, the carbon footprint and the water footprint; The social sustainability is based on good working protocols, such as good agriculture practises (soil management, fertility, irrigation, defence and biodiversity management, exclusion of dangerous pesticides, prohibition to weed) and good winery and bottling practices.
Economic sustainability considers good business practices, good economic practices for employees and for suppliers. Lastly, the social sustainability considers the worker's rights, no discrimination policy, welfare, personnel training programme, and working s for improving community relations.
In contrast to other certifications, this is completely a voluntary certification; papers and documentation is similar to ISO 9001 which Tedeschi received earlier. The Italian ministry is working for a ministerial certification and Equalitas is part of the working team for the definition of the pillars, she adds.
The certification is an opportunity to be transparent to the public about how the certified company is working; this adds value for the market.
In 2019, Tedeschi undertook a 360° plan adding carbon balance and water balance to the entire organization and to the winery cru to the biodiversity indicators. On analyzing the various processes and products, they discovered that about half of all emissions and energy consumption could be attributed to packaging. As a result, they decided to substitute the bottles for Amarone as well as for the Valpolicella cru, with lighter bottles, thus reducing the impact from emissions on production of glass as well as during the transportation of the finished product. ‘These sustainable actions favour the environment and are valued by our territory precisely because they represent a point of departure for the production of high quality wines’, she says.
Summing up the winery’s philosophy, Sabrina Tedeschi adds, “Today it has become a moral obligation to be a sustainable entity, and we are convinced that the entire production process can benefit only by achieving the goals to be sustainable. We have chosen the right path to walk as is evidenced by Italy’s work towards the development of a national certification that will also be recognized at the local level.”
Tedeschi is one of the premier family-owned wine producers of Valpolicella. It introduced a few variants of their Amarone, Ripasso and Valpolicella last year in India. She made a short visit earlier in February this year to promote Tedeschi. These labels are in good demand with discernible wine connoisseurs, the current depressing scenario due to Covid-19, with the hotels and restaurants remaining closed, notwithstanding.
Producers committed to Sustainability and desirous of certification or learning more, are welcome to contact the organization at support@equalitas.it. For details, you may also visit https://www.equalitas.it/en/ ,
For a few of the earlier related Articles, please visit:
IWA 2019: Think Amarone, Drink Ripasso in India
Tedeschi Tasting at Wine Dinner in Shangri-la very impressive
Wine Feature : Day out with Sabrina Tedeschi of Tedeschi in Valpolicella
Subhash Arora