"With Lake Garda wines, we will conquer new markets." Thus, the Valtènesi Consortium explains the new wine alliance

Together where we are weaker, individually where we are already strong. The logic behind the newly established Lake Garda Wines project is to optimise resources and deploy them where they are needed most. For the five founding Consortia (Bardolino, Valtènesi, Garda, Custoza, and Lugana), the strength of belonging to the different shores of the lake is a key advantage in presenting a coordinated and unified image of the wines from this vast production area, which accounts for approximately 80 million bottles. However, there is no intention of creating second-level promotional Consortia (similar to the Piemonte Land of Wine model), no signing of any official notarial deeds, and no obligation to always and permanently move forward together. Rather, this alliance seems to have a limited duration.

The "risk-free" experiment of Wine Paris

Vinexpo-Wine Paris, scheduled from 10th to 12th February in the French capital, will serve as a trial run for this wine initiative (with 30 participating wineries) that seeks to present itself as a united front and that already boasts variety, quality, and recognition in Europe. Since there are no bureaucratic constraints, if the Parisian event—an exhibition that is gaining prominence on the international scene—delivers the expected results, then Lake Garda Wines will have a future. Otherwise, everyone will be free to go their separate ways. The strategy underpinning the project is to enter a major market like France without risks, to see how the trade reacts. The collective approach is a cautious one, following in the footsteps of other designations such as Doc Sicilia and the Imt (Istituto Marchigiano Tutela Vini).

Uncertainties about the future

France is, therefore, a crucial testing ground—an "experiment," as described by the President of the Valtènesi Consortium, Paolo Pasini: "The need to present ourselves as a united force in the market arose from the grassroots level, to give smaller wineries the opportunity to explore new horizons. The idea is revolutionary for us, especially because we have managed to overcome administrative and regional divisions, bringing together the wines of Lake Garda." But there is no certainty that the initiative will continue. This was made clear by Paolo Fiorini, President of the Doc Garda Consortium, in a conversation with Tre Bicchieri magazine from Gambero Rosso: "There are no other intentions," let alone the idea of merging into a single protection body. In this respect, uncertainties remain. And his colleague Pasini sends a message to President Fiorini: "I cannot say that Wine Paris is the only thing we have planned. Let’s see what happens." In short, the five Consortia share goodwill—"brothers because we are children of the same lake"—but everything will depend on real-world results.

No risk of confusion

The different approaches to promotion are already evident, as demonstrated by the fact that the Doc Garda Consortium will not participate in the upcoming Prowein event from 16th to 18th March. Therefore, in Düsseldorf, there will be no Lake Garda Wines logo at any stand, nor will it be present at Vinitaly in April. Italy and Germany are well-established markets where the Lake Garda Wines designations are already well known, whereas "we need to go elsewhere —in all those markets that are not the traditional ones," Pasini emphasises. The East and the Americas, for example. According to the President of the Valtènesi Consortium, presenting Lake Garda Wines in Germany, Switzerland, or Belgium could even be counterproductive. The risk, he explains, is "creating confusion among consumers who already know our designations well." It would be a real boomerang.