Vineyards Magazine

Producing wine today is not just a matter of passion and tradition. It is an activity that requires technical expertise, managerial skills, strategic vision, and above all, great resilience to the daily challenges that go far beyond the vineyard. From vine cultivation to the bottle that reaches the table, the journey is long, arduous, and often underestimated.

The first obstacle is nature itself. Climate change is revolutionizing viticulture. Prolonged droughts, late frosts, sudden hailstorms, and heat waves make every season unpredictable. Added to this is the spread of new diseases and pests, requiring constant and costly interventions. Furthermore, vineyard work requires specialized labor, which is difficult to find and retain. Agricultural labor regulations, rightly strict, entail fixed costs and obligations that not all small producers can easily sustain.

Even when the grapes are perfect, turning them into wine is anything but simple. Beyond the technical care required in the cellar, producers must comply with a myriad of regulations: labeling, traceability, certifications, electronic records, health authorizations, environmental constraints. Every mistake can result in fines or sales blocks. And making “a good wine” is no longer enough. Modern consumers are informed, demanding, looking for authenticity but also innovation. This means that producers must balance tradition and technology without losing the identity of their territory.

Italian wine is loved worldwide, but precisely because of this, competition is fierce. The market is flooded with thousands of labels, from industry giants to small winemakers. Standing out is a real challenge, especially when focusing on quality. Margins are tightening: costs increase, but prices often do not. Large retailers impose rigid conditions, and many buyers want the best at the lowest price. The risk is that quality will no longer be rewarded and small producers will be squeezed out.

Today, a good winemaker must also be a good communicator. Managing websites, social media, newsletters, events, tastings, and collaborations with restaurateurs and influencers has become crucial. Telling the story behind the wine is essential, but it’s a continuous commitment that requires time, skills, and resources. Knowing how to narrate one’s journey, values, and land is not easy, especially for those more accustomed to working with their hands than with words. Yet, communication is precisely what makes the difference between a bottle that remains in the cellar and one that conquers the market.

Finally, the bitterest chapter: taxes. The tax burden on wine in Italy is among the highest in Europe, and it does not just involve VAT or excise duties. Producers must face costs related to income tax, social security contributions, property taxes on land, and fees for accountants and consultants. For those producing small quantities, all this risks becoming unsustainable.

Making wine today is an extraordinary profession, but also an extremely complex one. Those who do it, often with dedication and personal sacrifices, are not just seeking financial returns but striving to preserve a unique cultural and territorial heritage. Supporting these producers means recognizing the value behind every bottle—not just a product, but a story of effort, passion, and resilience.

Marco Lucentini