The future of vineyards is in the hands of young people

While in 1969 there were 47 social wineries in the Asti region, today there are 16. Although in the mid-1970s wine was considered a nourishment, nowadays it is regarded – and rightly so – as a beverage to be tasted. If consumption has gone from 140 litres per person per year, today estimates are around 40 litres per year.

It might seem an alarming picture, but it really is not. Because while these figures testify to a contraction in wine consumption, the attention behind this universe has never been higher, synonymous with the fact that we are facing a revolution that calls (almost) unanimously for ‘- quantity + quality’.

And in this direction the new generations are the advocates of this common sentiment.

Young people in the wine industry

Young people in the wine industry are numerous, have sophisticated tastes, display greater awareness and pay close attention to the sustainability of their choices.

The new wine generation is very well prepared, as often wine lovers have participated in master courses abroad or gained work experience in other territories, they know how to use social networks and marketing strategies and present themselves with a broad wine vision.

And this not only concerns the young people who want to approach professions such as sommeliers or winery managers, but also – and perhaps above all – those who decide to produce wine and ‘go back to the land’.

There are in fact more than 5,500 young wine growers: this is the most popular business for companies under thirty. Coldiretti’s analysis of data from the Divulga study centre released at Vinitaly confirms that one company out of ten, of those run by young men and women, is in the wine industry.

This is how young people are returning to the vineyard, rediscovering another kind of life, one that is more connected to the land and the humours of the climate, but perhaps – for many – more satisfying. And they do so by bringing a completely new attitude that does not forget the teachings of tradition, but looks to new technologies, wine tourism, marketing and sustainability.

Perhaps these are the exact motivations that, over the years, have made our Cantina Cooperativa attractive to so many young men and women in our area.

The young people of Vinchio Vaglio

The company’s commitment to facilitating young people’s access to the workplace has materialised, in recent years, with the inclusion of young people in the company’s workforce, who have had the opportunity to gain knowledge and skills from staff with considerable experience in the field. But it is the new generation itself that has proved to be dynamic, attentive, proactive and full of ideas, adding undisputed value to our Cantina Cooperativa.

The fact that our Cantina Cooperativa has been moving forward for years, focusing on high quality wines that carry everyone’s name, means that even young winegrowers can see the numerous awards and acknowledgements as a source of personal pride.

Similarly, our commitment to sustainability, wine tourism activities (which are very popular) and communication, means that they can get directly involved, introducing new ideas and helping the winery to keep up with the times.

Vinchio Vaglio has seen a huge increase in new hires of young people within the Cantina Cooperativa in recent years, but at the same time there has been an upsurge in interest in winegrowing on the part of young people who dedicate themselves to the vineyards. These are figures that make us really proud, because they tell of our commitment to creating appealing jobs that speak the language of the land and of the values that transcend generations.

The comment of President Lorenzo Giordano

A few weeks ago, newspaper La Stampa published an interview with our president Lorenzo Giordano in which the journalist asked: In your opinion, can social wineries also become a job opportunity for the younger generation?

‘Without a shadow of a doubt, it represents a great opportunity. In our case, for example, the winery has long since become the reference winery for our villages, it is our future. And the future of the vineyards is in the hands of our young people, there are many of them, and they are earnest, educated and capable people. I am confident they will be able to carry on with determination and professionalism a baton that my generation has picked up from those who came before us’.