IN BREVE
- The Consorzio tutela vini Valdinoto was established to protect the Noto, Siracusa, and Eloro DOCs and the Avola IGT.
- The proposal is to establish a single Val di Noto DOC to simplify the denominations and strengthen commercial communication.
- In the province of Syracuse, there are 1,404 hectares of vineyards, but only 153 wines claimed.
- The Consortium promotes “drinking well” and “drinking local,” focusing on new interpretations of Nero d’Avola.
- The Board of Directors includes Angela Sergio as president and Teresa Gasbarro as director.
After its preview presentation at Vinitaly 2024, the Consorzio tutela vini Valdinoto is facing its first challenges on the ground. It is the eighth consortium recognized by the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Sovereignty in Sicily and was born during a time of renewal for companies in the South East. The goal is to protect the area’s three DOCs—Noto, Siracusa, and Eloro—and the Avola IGT. The project is based on the desire to network in a fertile but fragmented territory, within a complex context for the wine sector. After years of attempts, the Consortium brings together 25 companies across over 300 hectares of vineyards, mainly cultivated with Nero d’Avola and Moscato, distributed between Siracusa, Avola, Noto, Rosolini, Pachino, Portopalo di Capo Passero, and Ispica.
TOWARDS A SINGLE DOC BETWEEN NOTO, SIRACUSA, AND ELORO
The low percentage of claimed wines has reignited the topic of simplifying denominations. This led to the Consortium’s proposal to establish a single Val di Noto DOC, which would include the three existing DOCs, transforming them into sub-zones. “This way we will maintain the historical significance of the denominations,” explained director Teresa Gasbarro, “and we will strengthen commercial communication. It is necessary to be united at a time marked by duties and attacks on alcoholic beverages.”
In the province of Syracuse alone, there are 1,404 hectares of vineyards, but only 153 are claimed. In 2022, production was 105,978 hectoliters of wine, with 4.3% certified, a figure that dropped by 43% in 2024. The Consortium has launched a working group to update the production regulations, opening up to the white grape varieties most present in the area. “In addition to the more widespread Grillo and Catarratto,” Gasbarro specified, “we are analyzing the most used varieties to make the regulations reflect actual production.”
THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE CONSORZIO TUTELA VINI VALDINOTO
The Consorzio Tutela Vini Valdinoto wants to promote the culture of “drinking well” and “drinking local,” involving businesses and young people. “Our task is to simplify the language of wine,” Gasbarro further specifies, “promoting new interpretations of Nero d’Avola, which today are more oriented towards pleasantness and drinkability.”
The Consortium is led by a Board of Directors composed of Angela Sergio (president), Carlo Scollo (vice-president), Giovanni Boroli (board member), Rosario Cavallo (board member), Corrado Gurrieri (board member), Salvatore Marino (board member), Filippo Mazzei (board member), Costante Planeta (board member), Carmela Pupillo (board member), and Teresa Gasbarro (director).
