The first of its kind in Italy, ‘Irresistibile Piwi’ is the first market fair entirely dedicated to national and international wines made from resistant grapes and to a new generation of growers and producers who embrace them. The event was held on 24- 25 May from 10.00 a.m. to 6.00 p.m. in the Sala Margherita of PalaExpo at Veronafiere, Verona, Italy.
More than 50 winemakers, among whom high profile Italian producers such as Pietramatta, Giannitessari, Enrico Gentili, Ca Da Roman and international ones such as VinoHladky to name a few and their wine styles, varieties, and blends made for an interesting afternoon. Sadly a few more attendees could have given the occasion a touch more vitality, but at least we could get to the wines that we wanted to try, and to meet the makers.
The name PIWI stands for Pilzwiderstandsfähige and they are specially bred fungus-resistant grape varieties with at least 85 percent vinifera in their genomes. They’re bred for resistance to the fungal diseases that cause issues for Vitis vinifera wines. PIWI International is the organization responsible for promoting these varieties. Founded in 1999, it now has more than 550 members from 21 countries in Europe and North America. The event in Verona was organised by oenologist Luca De Palma, who works in Ticino, and Igor Bonvento, an oenologist and consultant agronomist from Verona.
“Together with Marco Stefanini of the Edmund Mach Foundation of San Michele All’Adige, the new president of Piwi Italia, we have undertaken to organise an official event, the first in Italy. The aim is multiple: to host Piwi Italia’s first annual general meeting, bringing registered members closer to producers who are not yet members (to date there are around 200 companies producing grapes or wines from resistant varieties), to organise technical refresher courses to attract the public and professionals, to enhance the viticultural work of nurserymen, breeders and organisations involved in promoting their breeding work, and to hold a trade fair for Italian companies wishing to exhibit their products” the organisers declared.
Irresistible PIWI brings together oenologists, experts, researchers and the Piwi Italia and Piwi International associations. In addition to the wines and the wine market of Italian and international producers, visitors will also be able to attend technical training sessions, besides tastings from experimental microvinifications.
Surely there were many inter-Piwi blends, but I have noticed an increase of interesting wines recently based on Piwi and V. vinifera together. It appears significant to me that some good winemakers are seeking new wine styles by putting these two together and the blend seems to work well.
Although PIWI wines are still quite niche, they are starting to arouse curiosity among the wine lovers and they are representing the future of winemaking. Faced with pressure to reduce the spraying of synthetic chemicals and the cost of organic production, together with the impact of changing climate on vineyard winemakers are taking climate adaption measures: hybrid grapes have been bred to resist common fungi and diseases and require less input and care in a challenging climate. Disease-resistant hybrids may account for a small share of the Italian vine plant sales a year, yet demand and production are growing. It’s time to recognize the progress made by the grape breeders, and to support these new resistant varieties. The wine world cannot always tell the same story.
