Erga Omnes and the Promotion of Asti and Monferrato Wines in 2015

Italian and foreign markets are demanding more wine from Monferrato. 17 million bottles of Barbera d’Asti DOCG were bottled in 2014, a growth of 6% from 2013; Ruché di Castagnole Monferrato saw a growth of over 21% from 2013 with 587,185 bottles; and the sale of Barbera d’Asti DOCG grew 3% in foreign markets during the first half of 2014, according to the Consortium for Asti and Monferrato Wines (Consorzio Tutela Barbera Vini d’Asti e del Monferrato).

These positive trends arrive at an important moment in the life of the Consortium, as they have chosen to apply the erga omnes (“towards all”) policy. Filippo Mobrici, the Consortium’s president, announced with vice presidents Stefano Chiarlo and Lorenzo Giordano that the policy will pertain to five denominations beginning in January 2015: Barbera d’Asti, Ruché di Castagnole Monferrato, Cortese dell’Alto Monferrato, Dolcetto d’Asti, and Freisa d’Asti.

The Consortium will have full management of the protection, supervision, and promotion of the selected wine denominations. All producing wineries will make a monetary contribution for a total of 2,456 wineries. “The wineries will have to contribute a small amount depending on the number of bottles they produce,” said Mobrici, “which will support activities for the protection, supervision, and promotion of the denominations. It’s an initiative that benefits everyone, so we decided that even producers not associated with the Consortium be involved.”

The share of contributions from the erga omnes will go to finance all promotional activities in Italy and abroad, as well as to research. Mobrici said, “There will be a significant contribution for Barbera d’Asti and Nizza, but also for Ruché di Castagnole Monferrato, where the producers are eager to emerge on the market.”

The Consortium plans a promotional initiative that includes projects in the United States and participation in international fairs and events. Stefano Chiarlo said, “We’ll invest over 200 thousand euros to promote Barbera d’Asti, Nizza, and Ruché in the USA, a market with growth potential for the consumption of our wines. We’ll collaborate with Wine Spectator, the most important wine magazine in the industry, create an App for our wines, and do a video with an American journalist that should be distributed on TV and online social networks.”

There was also talk about experimental research to combat the disease Flavescence doreé. “The Barbera variety is particularly affected,” says Lorenzo Giordano. “We need to invest in research even if it doesn’t give us immediate results. And we need to find a solution to contain the diffusion of the carrier, the Scaphoideus titanus, today. The right road to take is to create a common table of experts. We’ve already begun in Alba with the Fondazione Cassa di Risparmio di Cuneo as our lead partner.”

For 2015, the Consortium plans to participate in several fairs and events. They will be at Prowein in Dusseldorf (March 15-17), Vinitaly (March 22-25), Tokyo (mid-April), and Vinexpo (June 14-18) with the other Consortia that make up “Piemonte Land of Perfection.”