The "Vigneto Italia" project will plant seedlings of the Italian variety Incrocio Manzoni in Jundiaí, São Paulo state, in September. The initiative aims to promote wines with a Brazilian identity and Italian inspiration.
The city, known as the "land of grapes" due to the immigrants from Veneto, will host the cultivation in the vineyard of the Benedito Storani State Technical School (EtecBest), affiliated with the Paula Souza Center. The grape variety was developed about a century ago by Venetian oenologist and geneticist Luigi Manzoni.
According to founder Paola Tedeschi, also director of the Italian Culinary Institute for Foreigners in Brazil, the outcome will depend on the local soil and climate. "We don't know what kind of wines we'll have here, due to the terroir and so many other factors," she said.
The project, which began in 2023, has already planted Tocai Rosso in 2024 and plans to introduce Croatia, croaker, Durella, Vermentino e Malvasia del Lazio. The partnership includes an exchange of students from the technical course in viticulture and oenology at EtecBest with the GB Cerletti Institute, in Conegliano, in “Prosecco Route”. Italian teachers monitor progress every six months.
For Mauro Zardeto, the institute's exchange manager, the goal is to create "a Brazilian oenology that brings identity to the wines produced in the country." Professor Luigi Franco emphasizes that developing the local terroir will differentiate production and enhance the region's agriculture.
The selected seedlings are short-cycle white grapes, with production expected to begin in four years. Last week, a tasting in Jundiaí featured two Italian wines derived from Manzoni's studies: the Manzoni Rosa 1.50, with notes of peach and pineapple, and the Manzoni Bianco 6.0.13, more powerful in taste and aroma. Both have Protected Geographical Indication status and are produced by the Conte Collalto winery.
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