Piedmont Strawberry Grape Consortium

The consortium

The consortium was established with the aim of optimising the cultivation of the historical strawberry grape variety in the Piedmont region.

The species, Vitis Labrusca, is autochthonous and has been present in the territory for over 200 years. The aim of the 'Consortium for valorisation and development' is to structure production in such a way as to meet the ever-increasing demands of consumers, who have had the opportunity to try the product and show increasing appreciation year after year.

By means of technical coordination to supervise the consortium farms, the aim is to ensure that the quality standards laid down in the production specifications are met.
It offers all consortia members a meeting point to discuss, identify common operations and strategies useful for enhancing the production and promotion of the Piedmont strawberry grape. It is not just a matter of incentivising production, but of bringing it to a high level of quality.

The consortium is responsible for the protection and supervision of the product and the territory.
The Piedmont strawberry grape is a production of excellence with an ancient tradition.
In Piedmont, it has been present for over 200 years. The Consortium wants to spread knowledge of this grape variety to the fresh market, because it is little known among those who are not originally from the production areas.

Before the consortium

More than 30 years ago, there was a substantial production of strawberry grapes in the Monregalese area. However, this production was very fragmented as each farm had small quantities and the quality was very heterogeneous. With these premises, an adequate commercial development was not possible. In the last 10 years, there has been a revival of cultivation by some farmers with a professional approach. This has created the conditions for continuous supplies with uniform quality standards.

Lady Froly uva fragola origine Italia Piemonte

Present and future

After the debut of the Piedmont strawberry grape as a mass-consumption product and the great acclaim it received from the public, the Consortium optimised production and set itself major goals for the future.

Thanks to the commitment to research, the aim is to encourage the development of varieties that will make it possible to extend the timetable for the availability of the fruit in order to have a more extensive presence in the market, thereby also broadening the target audience. In addition, research into new varieties will make it possible to enhance the product, thus offering consumers strawberry Piedmont grapes with an increasingly distinctive and recognisable flavour.

The Consortium's commitment is to make consumers increasingly aware of the inseparable link between product quality and territoriality.

Appellation “Strawberry grape of Piedmont”

CHARACTERISTICS OF THE GRAPE

SHAPE: cylindrical berry
QUALITY: berries without cracks
APPEARANCE: product not de-stemmed
SWEETNESS: brix° degree ≥ 12
PRUNE: present
STEM CUT: between 2 and 3 cm
VINIFICATION: max 2% on the bunch

White-skinned varieties are not allowed.

Technical Executive Committee

The purpose of the executive committee is to implement and pursue the best production techniques in order to guarantee product quality, improve standards and make the Piedmont strawberry grape known to both the traders and potential end consumers.

Primo piano di un grappolo di uva fragola Piemonte

Values and aims

The Consortium aims to achieve a high production and quality profile, to promote in a unified manner the product of excellence that the territory offers us. The Piedmont strawberry grape has been present for more than 200 years, but has only become part of the interests of farms in recent years. On one hand, the Consortium aims to bring more and more producers into the fold, pushing the entire production chain towards excellence, and on the other hand, to spread the knowledge of this sweet and tasty table fruit, in fact enhancing the marketing capabilities of all member companies.

Consortium obligations

The "Production regulations of the Consortium for the protection and valorisation of Piedmont strawberry grapes" represent, for all consortium members, the guidelines to be followed in the production, promotion and marketing of the product. The document also contains indications on how the Consortium is to deal with any violations, irregularities and non-compliance. These will be examined by the Board of Directors, which will determine their seriousness in order to be able to deliberate the appropriate sanction, which ranges from a simple warning to criminal penalties in the most serious cases.

Membership application

Membership of the Consortium is acquired through registration in the members' register.

Anyone wishing to be admitted as a member must submit an application to the Board of Directors by filling in the form below.

SEND APPLICATION

Production techniques

Caratteristiche vite uva fragola Piemonte

Plant characteristics

The plant is characterised by long, vigorous shoots of up to 5 metres in length and large, opaque leaves. It is a very disease-resistant plant.

Planting

The strawberry grape plant is usually grown with supports, which are typically grown as pergolas, that can support the large size of its shoots; alternatively, a more comfortable espalier form can be chosen.

Caratteristiche terreno uva fragola Piemonte

Soil

Strawberry grapes are not adapted to limey soils, and they should be avoided at all costs. The strawberry grape that can be included in the consortium is exclusively that cultivated in Piedmont, which is the only area that offers soils with suitable characteristics for the growth of the plant in accordance with the specifications.

Esposizione solare ideale per la vite di uva fragola Piemonte

Exposure

Exposure to the sun must always be guaranteed: it is a plant that tolerates high as well as low temperatures, provided it receives an adequate amount of sunlight.

Irrigation

The strawberry grape does not require much watering. During the winter season, it is quite possible not to water the plant; in the summer, the soil should be kept moist without ever over-watering. In fact, the American grape is a plant that suffers greatly from waterlogging.

Activities

Within the consortium, activities are regulated by production rules and technical coordination.
Members are asked to exchange information on the crop with a view to optimising all aspects of cultivation in order to improve conditions for all stakeholders in Piedmont's strawberry grape cultivation.

RESEARCH

In compliance with the specifications, the actions are aimed at achieving innovation in production. The aim of studies and development is to select varieties that allow both a longer season and differentiation of taste, thus strengthening the product's appeal.

The supply of strawberry grapes from Piedmont starts in mid-August and continues until the beginning of October, which covers a sufficient time window to be attractive for the fruit and vegetable market.
This fruit represents a great opportunity to present something new and interesting to the end consumer, while at the same time making the offer less standardised at the point of sale.

The consortium aims to experiment with new varieties that can extend the availability calendar and differentiate the offer.
The first objective is to help the consortium farms modernise their processing in order to further increase the availability period and ensure a large product presence throughout the period.

PROMOTION

As part of its marketing activities, the Consortium aims to make the product known both to the operators in the sector and to potential end consumers.
The future objective is to further enhance the Piedmont strawberry grape through specific certifications. To date, the Consortium's producers have obtained the certifications required for modern distribution.

The aim is to propose the strawberry grape not only as a product to be consumed when fresh, but also as a processing fruit for the production of fruit juices, jams, compotes, yoghurt and other products.
The market is increasingly interested in quality products that distinguish themselves in terms of variety, and the Piedmontese strawberry grape has potential that will be successfully explored by the Consortium.

VIGILANCE

Checks for compliance with the specifications and accepted standards may be carried out by a third party or by an internal Consortium commission.
The checks may be made on a random basis or at the consortium's discretion and involve all members of the consortium.

Specifications

You can download the " Production regulations of the consortium for the protection and valorisation of the Piedmont strawberry grape" by clicking on this link.

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