Regional Institute of Wine and Oil

Nero d'Avola

Enhance Nero d'Avola by stopping individualism and focusing on teamwork and innovation. These are the themes of the conference "Avola and Nero: to each his own", which took place in the Syracuse town on one of the most cultivated vines in Sicily, Nero d'Avola. The three-day event was organized by the Municipality with the partnership of Irvo - Regional Institute of Wine and Oil.

He spoke at the conference Vincenzo Cusumano, director of the Institute, highlighting the aspects relating to innovation and experimentation understood as new levers of marketing. «We need to follow tradition – said Cusumano – but also team up and make all the local players work together and not just in the name of innovation. Individualism leads to nothing, instead we need to valorise this excellence without particularism, also establishing a constant dialogue between Avola and all the realities where this vine is produced and cultivated."

An excursus on the selection of yeasts to be used for the production of Nero d'Avola, based on research carried out in the south-eastern part of the island, was instead made by Daniele Oliva, biologist manager and head of the technical-scientific area of Irvo. Francesca Salvia also spoke during the conference, illustrating the role of the Institute for the Nero d'Avola nomenclature and the numbers relating to DOC and IGT production.

The professor was also present among the speakers Alessandra Gentile, who emphasized research activity in viticulture and the importance of training activities, and Antonio Orlando, councilor for agricultural policies of the Municipality of Avola who underlined the importance of the event. New frontiers for the most cultivated black grape variety in Sicily and a revival for this variety, which has been mistreated for years, raises great potential.

Gazzetta del Sud Sicilia dated 15/05/2019