Interview with Alessio Planeta, member of SOStain Sicily.

We are at the top of Mount Orfano, near the Convent of the Most Holy Annunciation: here, in an exceptional spot in the Brescia landscape, is the Bellavista Winery, a centuries-old place of wine production currently hosting 100% Chardonnay grapes. Overlooking Lake Iseo, the Convent is immersed in a pleasant hilly context, about 450 meters above sea level, and since the mid-1400s has been a landmark in the Franciacorta municipality of Rovato, still visitable through guided tours organized by Bellavista Winery.

Trying not to be captivated by the landscape, in this interview we will focus on the theme of sustainability, discussing it with Alessio Planeta, founder of the eponymous winery and a board member of the SOStain Sicilia association.

How did SOStain come about? What does the project consist of?

The association was founded two years ago, aiming to promote the ethics of sustainability in the Sicilian territory: to do this, it was important to create a network of producers willing to follow specific conduct rules, summarized in ten principles from SOStain. Nowadays, it is not enough to focus on the concept of “organic,” the entire production chain must adapt to the latest standards, derived from the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

A concrete example that reflects efforts in this direction is the desire to create completely Sicilian bottles, reusing glass in a virtuous process of recovering raw materials: we will reach 96% recycled glass.

How many producers are involved in SOStain? Could you explain what it means in practice to adhere to the project?

Currently, twenty-six producers are involved in the project, including Giuseppe Bursi, president of Cantine Settesoli, Letizia Russo of Mezzocorona, Arianna Occhipinti, who needs no introduction, and president Alberto Tasca, CEO of Tasca D'Almerita.

The decalogue we adhere to primarily concerns respecting at least one production regulation on eco-sustainability. Our companies do not practice chemical weeding, allow biodiversity to thrive, use biodegradable or recyclable materials for new cultivations, with the use of local raw materials: all members are required to monitor indicators related to carbon dioxide emissions, freshwater consumption used in general and for the production of 0.75L bottles, land use, and the goodness of agronomic practices.

If we wanted to delve into the technical aspects of the project, we should also consider the energy consumption per liter of wine produced, which must be less than 0.7kW/h, or the average weight of produced wine bottles, which must be below 550g/0.75L. Each of these parameters must be included in an annual report, a gesture of transparency that testifies to the commitment made by the companies towards environmental sustainability.

All of this certainly shows that sustainability is not just a label in this case. How do you communicate to young people the importance of what you are doing?

In Sicily, we organized road shows, which accompany seminars and online communication through our websites: however, all this is not enough to engage the new generations, who must come to experience firsthand the beauty of the atmosphere that prevails in places like this. The best way to get to know a winery is to visit it, after all. Or listen to a good podcast that talks about the world of wine.