Consorzio Vini Toscana recognized by MASAF

Achievement of President Cesare Cecchi's goal achieved through teamwork with the Tuscany Region. Determinant-with over 39.5 percent of producers and over 58 percent of production-fulfilling MASAF's representativeness requirements of at least 35 percent of producers and 51 percent of production.

The Tuscan Wine Consortium has obtained official recognition from the Ministry of Agriculture of the Food Sovereignty and Forests of the Italian Republic with Decree No. 423141 of August 21, 2023. This is an important milestone for the same Consortium, which thus brings to completion the renewal project developed since 2019, with the beginning of Cesare Cecchi's presidency.

As is well known, in order to be recognized by MASAF, a Consortium must represent at least 35 percent of the producers and 51 percent of the production of the Denomination or Geographical Indication to be protected; the Vino Toscana Consortium far exceeds these parameters, since it represents over 39.5 percent of the producers and over 58 percent of the production.

"I am very pleased with the achievement of this goal," said the president of the Tuscan Wine Consortium Cesare Cecchi, "which comes as the culmination of an intense four-year period of work; a complicated job because we were starting almost from scratch and because we worked two of the four years in pandemic. I believe that this milestone, achieved also thanks to the efforts made by the Region of Tuscany, which we thank, is a starting point so that we can finally develop the management, protection, supervision and enhancement programs that Toscana IGT wines deserve; a Consortium that represents so many producers from all over the Region and that is inclusive and representative of the companies that believe in the "Toscana" brand.

In fact, precisely because of the importance of the Consorzio Vino Toscana, representing as many as 1594 of Tuscany's most representative wine-growing members and a total certified production of about 95.5 million bottles of Toscana IGT wines with an export share of as much as 69 percent, the Region of Tuscany has taken on a decisive role in the recognition process, and the achievement of this goal is to be attributed in particular to Vice-President and Councillor for Agriculture Stefania Saccardi, who stated in this regard: "Since the moment of my appointment I have followed, together with my collaborators, the work that the Consorzio Vino Toscana was doing, I have flanked and supported their efforts and I consider very important the achievement of this result that concerns as many as 4,000 wine producers who claim Toscana IGT contributing not only to the enhancement of our agriculture, to preserve the value of our countryside and be a garrison for the territory but also to the enhancement of the brand "Toscana" at 360 degrees. For the Region," concludes Vice President and Councillor for Agriculture Stefania Saccardi, "it is very important to have a point of reference with which to share objectives and strategies for the development of such an important sector as the wine sector."

The Tuscan Wine Consortium wishes to thank all those who believed in the project and worked hard to bring it to fruition, as well as the Vice-President of the Tuscany Region and Regional Councillor for Agriculture Stefania Saccardi, the MASAF, which supported the project, and the member producers represented by the Consortium's Board of Directors, whose members have been very committed over the years. Thanks are extended to all the Consortia of Tuscan Denominations of Origin that have favored the birth and development of the Tuscan Wine Consortium. "Now we have the tool with which to work," concludes President Cesare Cecchi, "from here on it is up to all of us to contribute to the enhancement of our Toscana IGT wines.

By obtaining recognition, the Tuscan Wine Consortium, as the only recognized and reference body for the entire production of the Toscana IGT Geographical Indication, will now be able to greatly implement its action, starting with Protection: thanks to this it will in fact be possible to deal directly with the authorities of countries all over the world, for effective action against imitations and counterfeits. The Tuscan Wine Consortium will also be able to implement policies for the management of the Tuscan Typical Geographical Indication together with the Italian regional and national authorities, and it will also be easier to develop surveillance activities on the production and marketing of products. Last but not least, the implementation of valorization initiatives will be no less important, in order to make Toscana IGT wines better and better known in Italy and around the world. A new role, therefore, for the Consortium, which goes to enrich - with those conferred on it by the recognition - its already important tasks, regarding the management, protection and valorization of Toscana IGT wine.

The Numbers of Wine Toscana IGT

The production value of Toscana IGT wine amounts to more than 495 million euros, with a 31% breakdown on the Italian market and as much as 69% directed to exports. In fact, the growth of exports in the last ten years has been sensible, registering +126%. The main foreign markets for the Toscana IGT Denomination are Europe with 46%, the United States with 33% and Asia with 6%, while the remaining 15% is distributed over all other geographical areas.

Main average data of the Wine Toscana IGT

The average annual area of vineyard planted Toscana IGT is 13,500 hectares and the average annual claim for the past five years has been about 640,000 hectoliters. The percentage share of Toscana IGT wine in the total wine production in Tuscany is 27 percent and the number of producers is 4000 of which1400 are bottlers. There are over 95.5 million average bottles of Toscana IGT marketed per year, broken down by type as follows: red wines 77%, white wines 18%, and rosé wines 5%.

Tuscany Wine Consortium Board of Directors for the three-year period 2022-2024

Cesare Cecchi (president), Lamberto Frescobaldi (president Frescobaldi) vice president, Rosanna Matteoli (vice president Cantina Cooperativa Montalbano Vino e Olio) vice president, Davide Ancillotti (president Cantina Cooperativa ViViTo and Le Chiantigiane), Letizia Cesani (Cesani winery),  Renzo Cotarella (managing director Antinori), Mario Piccini (president Tenute Piccini), Sandro Sartor (managing director Ruffino), Donata Vieri (director Cantina Cooperativa I Vini di Maremma), Enrico Viglierchio (president Banfi), Alessandro Zanette (director Melini Gruppo Italiano Vini). Director: Stefano Campatelli

For information: Consorzio Vino Toscana Director Stefano Campatelli cell. 3483584186