The extraordinary inspection revealed serious criticalities in the management and financial situation of the cooperative and the group. The Ministry is contesting the legitimacy of the request for protective measures, submitted by CEO Umberto Callegari—son of the winery’s president—without a mandate from the Board of Directors. The inspection report depicts financial tension, seizures, and facilities at risk ahead of the 2025 harvest. Winemag.it had documented warnings regarding operations and governance. UIL: “Avert bankruptcy.”
The Ministry of Enterprises and Made in Italy has requested the Pavia Chamber of Commerce to revoke the publication of the “protective measures” activated within the context of the negotiated settlement for Terre d’Oltrepò by CEO Umberto Callegari. The petition dated July 25, 2025, contests the legitimacy of the signatory.
TERRE D’OLTREPÒ: CHRONOLOGY OF JULY EVENTS
According to the documents, during the joint Board meeting on July 4, 2025, the general manager had assured that protective measures would not be pursued. However, on July 7, the petition including these measures was nonetheless submitted. This was followed by a no-confidence motion signed by 107 members, the resignation of the Board and the board of statutory auditors, and the appointment of a new Board of Directors. However, they stepped down just hours after the elections. In the absence of a legitimate body, the request for measures remained in effect but lacked a formal legal basis.
“The act was not submitted by me,” Umberto Callegari tells Winemag, “but drafted and submitted by lawyers and consultants; it was approved by the Board of Statutory Auditors, shared with the Region, and deemed necessary for the protection of the company. I simply signed it at the explicit request of the Board of Statutory Auditors which, as provided for by Art. 2386 of the Civil Code, is currently the body managing the cooperative in the absence of a Board of Directors, acting as a special proxy. Furthermore, the Chamber confirmed the regularity of the process. I should also clarify that my father had resigned 17 days earlier: at the time of signing, therefore, I was not ‘the president’s son’.”
THE INSPECTION AUDIT AND THE FINAL JUDGMENT
The “Extraordinary Inspection Report” of July 31, 2025, proposes compulsory administrative liquidation due to extremely serious irregularities. It highlights injunctions, seizures (including those on the S.p.A.’s capital), revocation of bank credits, and operational blocks. A context of compromised liquidity and imminent operational risk.
The downsizing of production activities, with Scapa limited to the sale of bulk wine (76% of 2024 turnover), would jeopardize margin generation. Maintenance and organizational problems also emerged, which could compromise the 2025 harvest, despite reassurances in recent days. Furthermore, the lack of a formally accepted Board and the absence of registration in the Business Register raise doubts about the validity of corporate acts, including the negotiated settlement.
UIL CALLS FOR A SUSTAINABLE COMMISSIONER: 8,000 JOBS AT RISK
According to UILA-UIL Pavia, the cooperative’s crisis risks destroying the entire wine sector of Oltrepò Pavese and putting 8,000 jobs at risk among employees, the self-employed, and related industries. The union calls for the urgent appointment of an “extraordinary non-liquidating commissioner”—a figure equipped with resources and operational powers, useful for developing a “concrete and sustainable business recovery plan” and restoring trust among contributing members ahead of the 2025 harvest.
“Bankruptcy must be averted,” UIL concludes, “intervention must be immediate, before the next members’ assembly.” Meanwhile, the entire institutional and local framework is under tension. Winemag.it has documented warnings from the boards of statutory auditors regarding the operational stability of the plants and the desire to provide reassurances about the future of the harvest. If accepted, the ministerial proposal for compulsory liquidation would open a new management chapter for the cooperative and the Terre d’Oltrepò S.p.A.
