NEWS E CURIOSITA’

Q1| What is PIWI?

 PIWI comes from the German term Pilzwiderstandsfähige Rebsorten, meaning fungus-resistant grape varieties. They allow a drastic reduction in chemical treatments in the vineyard and are considered the best concrete responses to climate change and sustainable viticulture. 

Key words: Sustainable viticulture · Resistant varieties · Climate adaptation 

Q2 | “What is the biggest advantage of PIWI?”

 “Not marketing — agriculture. Less intervention, healthier vineyards, and more stable harvests. These are very concrete advantages for the future of wine.Water saving and less use of tractors” 

Q3| Why does PIWI matter in Piedmont? 

Piedmont is one of the world’s most traditional fine-wine regions, but it is also facing increasing climate pressure, disease risks, and environmental regulations. PIWI offers a realistic solution: maintaining quality, territorial expression, and economic sustainability, while significantly reducing environmental impact. PIWI is not an alternative to tradition — it is a tool to protect the future of tradition. 

Q4 | “Does PIWI threaten traditional Piedmont grape varieties?” 

“PIWI is not here to replace Nebbiolo or Barbera. It is here to help protect Piedmont’s wine culture under new climate and environmental conditions. It is a tool, not a rival.”

 Q5 | “Is your goal environmental, or is it commercial?” 

“Without a market, sustainability cannot survive. Without sustainability, the market has no future. PIWI connects these two dimensions.” 

Q6｜ “Can PIWI wines really compare in quality with traditional wines?”

 “If you had asked me five years ago, I would have said this was our goal. Today, after receiving gold and silver medals and bronze from an institution like FEM, I can say this is already a reality. Today, the answer is in the glass. PIWI is no longer only an agricultural project. It has become a complete wine project: vineyards,2 winemaking, identity, and market positioning — now also supported by professional blind tastings. Quality remains the only real criterion. 

Q7| Why are these awards important? 

The evaluation at Fondazione Edmund Mach, one of Europe’s most respected research and technical institutions, represents a clear professional validation of PIWI wine quality. These medals signal a shift: PIWI wines are moving from an experimental phase into the professional quality arena. 

Q8| Will consumers accept PIWI wines?

 “Consumers don’t reject new grape varieties. They reject bad wine. If a wine is good, authentic, and meaningful, the grape variety is not the issue, but the taste, values, and stories. When PIWI wines combine: sensory quality environmental credibility and strong regional identity they naturally find their place in international markets.”

 Q9| What is PIWI Piemonte? 

PIWI Piemonte is a regional initiative bringing together growers, winemakers, and technical partners to: -develop resistant varieties adapted to Piedmont -build a quality-oriented PIWI wine model -position PIWI as a credible part of Piedmont’s future 

Q10| | “What are the next steps for PIWI Piemonte?”

 “Expanding vineyards, strengthening cooperation with research institutions, building a clearer regional identity, and positioning PIWI as part of Piedmont’s future, not as a niche.” -clearer international communication -development of export markets -From a niche experiment to a regional solution

 Q11 | “Why did Cantina Ceste start working with PIWI so early?”

 “Because I realized very early that continuing in exactly the same way would become more and more difficult. I didn’t want to wait until change was forced on us. I chose to start learning 15 years earlier. Cantina Ceste was the first winery in Piedmont to invest in PIWI viticulture. Over more than a decade, the winery has worked on vineyard trials, winemaking approaches, and market integration. These awards represent a key milestone in a long-term vision.