Cantina Terre d’Oltrepò winery: expressions of interest in contributing grapes from the next harvest to the industrial project presented by Collis Veneto Wine Group are currently lower than expected.
Any further accessions will be awaited in the coming days, after which it will be up to the liquidators to make the consequent decisions on the matter of the Terre d’Oltrepò winery. This was announced by the regional councillor for Agriculture, Food Sovereignty and Forestry, Alessandro Beduschi.
Alderman Beduschi’s statement
“We have been working hard,” statesAlderman Beduschi. Together with Confcooperative and all agricultural representative organizations, to accompany an extremely delicate phase for the area. Regione Lombardia did everything within its power to protect the local economy. And the social hold of a system that has represented the largest wine cooperative in our region for years. But no one had and has the power to impose from above a choice after a failure that started from afar. In these cases, the territory is sovereign “.
Beduschi stressed that the industrial project put on the table by the Veneto group represented the only structured and concretely feasible proposal that had emerged so far to guarantee a perspective for the supply chain.
Last chance
“Should this proposal not find the necessary consensus among wineries,” Beduschi continued. – We can only take note of this. We believe in the self-determination of territories and those who do business, so it will be the winemakers who will decide how to direct their future. Possibly even outside of this path. I believe, however, that this represented a last chance to save the day. Should it not be picked up, I fear that a season and a certain way of doing viticulture in Oltrepò, as we have known it so far through this cooperative system, will come to a definitive end.”
“I still remain hopeful,” the councilor concludes. That in the coming days there may be a breakthrough. We are convinced that the cooperative model remains the one best suited to the winemaking reality of Oltrepò. An area characterized by great business fragmentation, where it is essential to guarantee outlets and prospects even for small producers. This is the same principle that has made the world of milk strong and competitive in many areas of Lombardy. Making critical mass, organizing production and giving answers to all the conferees. If someone believes that this season should close and that a different path should be taken, we will take note. But at that point it would be legitimate to expect concrete alternative proposals, which frankly so far have not been seen “.
