Tuscany wine more and more ‘green’

The Tuscan vineyard is increasingly green: out of a total of 59,000 hectares planted with vines in Tuscany, 16,720 are organic and biodynamic. This figure emerged from the tenth edition of BuyWine, the largest international showcase of wine made in Tuscany, held at the Fortezza da Basso in Florence on February 7-8. The positioning of Tuscan wine on global markets increasingly passes through the challenge of sustainability, able to counter the uncertainties arising from duties and tariff impositions of one of the historically most important importers, the United States.

 

Ninety-six organic and biodynamic companies were present in Fortezza da Basso during the two days of BuyWine. According to a research conducted by the University of Pisa on the participants of the event, 62% of wineries consider adverse weather conditions as a significant factor for production decisions, followed by changes in consumer behavior (57.7%), increasingly attentive to green brands and sustainable production. Innovation and new technologies are considered allies of companies in this sense.

 

In the wine sector, for some time now, the focus has been on balancing environmental sustainability with economic profitability and social equity: among the companies participating in BuyWine, there has been no lack of those certified from the point of view of social as well as environmental sustainability.

 

Among the external drivers that can influence the decision to adopt more sustainable practices are climate change, regulatory pressures and incentives such as agri-environmental payments and investment support measures and thus better access to credit. In general, sustainability is perceived as a strategic advantage that can ensure greater market penetration opportunities and a better reputation. Another vital factor is changes in consumer behaviour, which can motivate farmers to improve their farming practices in order to maximise profits and remain competitive in the wine sector.

 

BuyWine is organized every year by the Region of Tuscany together with the Chamber of Commerce of Florence with the support of PromoFirenze, Azienda Speciale della Camera di Commercio di Firenze and Fondazione Sistema Toscana.  More than 4 thousand b2b appointments organized among 260 wineries and about 220 buyers from all over the world, including emerging countries in the wine market such as Angola, Romania, Malaysia, Dominican Republic.

 

Source: BuyWIne Press Office