Custoza White Confraternity Launches to Promote Verona Wines Worldwide
The Festa del Novello was an occasion to officially inaugurate the new confraternity of Custoza White wine. It is the fourth wine-related confraternity in our province, after those of Bardolino, the Snodar (the Sovereign Noble Order of Recito), the Valpolicella, and the imperial Castellania of Soave. The grand guardian of the new confraternity is journalist Morello Pecchioli.
Role of the Guardian and Goals of the Confraternity
“Guardian,” Pecchioli clarifies, “refers to Custodia, the original name of Custoza, a village that most likely arose around a watchtower built during the long period of the war between Mantovani and Veronese in the mid-13th century.” “Guardian,” therefore, along with the other eight confraters—all wine producers—acts to uphold the tradition and the good reputation of the wines from the Custoza land.
“A confraternity well received within the order of confraternities,” says Gaetano Zeni, grand master of the Bardolino confraternity, “if its goal, beyond promoting our local products, is to enhance the promotion of Verona wines.”
International Event and Competition in the Wine Market
From this idea, there is a proposal, in collaboration with the Camera di Commercio (Chamber of Commerce), to organize a joint event involving the four confraternities at the Berlin Travel Fair, one of the most significant international events in the tourism sector.
“We are experiencing fierce competition in the wine market,” emphasizes the grand master of the Bardolino order, “between two opposing worlds: that of Old World producers, represented by France, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Greece, Hungary, and a few other countries, and that of New World wines, with major players including Australia, the United States, South Africa, Argentina, Chile, and New Zealand, which are continually increasing their export figures.”
Old World vs. New World Divisions and Differentiation Strategies
These two worlds have completely different production philosophies: with strictly codified and rigorous rules in the Old World, where grape varieties are tied to each region, existing for centuries and rooted in strong cultural traditions. “Conversely, in the ‘New World,’” Zeni specifies, “production is not subject to specific regulations or constraints, whether regarding yield per hectare, wine processing, or related traditions, as the viticultural vocation is very recent. Moreover, there is considerable disparity in the size of vineyard estates—minimally comparable to the fragmented parcels typical of the Old World, especially in export markets.”
Zeni suggests that producers should “modernize production, maintaining tradition but also considering changing consumer tastes,” to counteract the influence of New World wines.
Furthermore, greater emphasis should be placed on linking the wine product with the rich tradition and culture of our wine-producing regions, so that consumers associate the wine with a clear sense of its territory. “This plays an important role,” Zeni emphasizes, “which confraternities could take on as messengers of niche products and drivers of tourism—such as vacations immersed in nature, enogastronomy, and the cultural offerings from the art world.”