Regional Institute of Wine and Oil

Vinitaly conference, Di Giacomo: “I thank everyone, the Sicilia brand must move forward”

Opening press conference of the regional department of Agriculture, Rural Development and Mediterranean Fisheries today at Vinitaly. The extraordinary commissioner of IRVO, Antonino Di Giacomo, is particularly satisfied: “Sicily's participation in Vinitaly 2015 was made possible thanks to the teamwork involving IRVO and the associations of Sicilian wine producers, namely Assovini , Pro.Vi.Di and Vi.Te.Si..

I therefore express my most sincere thanks to their members, their presidents and also to the president of the DOC Sicilia Consortium for having made possible, after the recent and successful Prowein a week ago, this new participation in the most important promotional wine event in Italy ”.

Di Giacomo would also like to thank the Verona Fiere team, made up of Mantovani, Rossini and Bruno and their collaborators "for the continuous, close and fruitful discussion in recent months. I particularly thank - he adds - the councilor for Agriculture, Rural Development and Mediterranean Fisheries of the Sicilian Region, Nino Caleca, for his trust, closeness and human and political support for me in my capacity as Extraordinary Commissioner of IRVO" .

And from Councilor Caleca comes a feeling of positive and concrete hope. In fact, recognizing the value and historical reality of IRVO, during the conference he underlined the importance of guaranteeing the body and supporting it. “We will kick off soon together with the new PSR,” he said.

“Since taking office I have faced quite a few critical issues on the financial side – underlined Di Giacomo – and I immediately intended to start processes of inevitable spending review, also affecting the organizational structure of the organisation. In this framework of reorganization, on which the councilor strongly encouraged us, a new season of IRVO can take shape based on:

Strengthening of traceability and certification services (with expansion to PGI Sicilia oil);
Participation in calls for new projects (PSR, ERDF, etc.) in partnership with producer associations and universities on the topics of sustainability in agriculture and the transfer of innovation;
Creation of promotional programs shared with the Associations, increasingly aimed at enhancing the SICILIA brand.

It is precisely this brand that gives the Sicilian wine system that connotation of product quality associated with the specificity and extraordinary nature of the territory of our island. Sicilian companies believe in this brand: this is demonstrated by the fact, for example, that the quantity of DOC Sicilia wine bottled during 2014 increased by more than 25%, going from around 16 million bottles in 2013 to over 20 million last year. This is also demonstrated by the number of certifications that IRVO has issued over the last year: 1065 (compared to 832 in 2013 = + 28%) of which 546 DOC Sicilia (more than 50%). And again, in the period 1 January - 20 March 2015, 402 certificates of suitability were issued, of which 222 DOC Sicilia (+ 29 % compared to the same period in 2014). For IRVO the Sicilia brand also represents valorisation of the wine-growing territory. Having therefore contributed with the work of the organisation's professionalism to the UNESCO recognition of the Pantelleria sapling vine as an intangible asset of humanity has filled us with great pride and satisfaction. I want to underline these results – concludes Di Giacomo – because they demonstrate the ability of IRVO staff to know how to manage the control and certification processes of DOP wines, the project actions in collaboration with other partners for the sustainable development of viticulture and the valorisation of its territories and the promotion of its products, including wines and oils. These activities have always been carried out with dedication and professionalism even in difficult times, in the awareness of their importance for the present and future of the organisation. Therefore, at the end of my speech I address my most sincere thanks to all the IRVO staff, to the general director, to its managers and officials, with the hope of achieving other important results together for the wines and oils of our beloved Sicily".