Slow Wine Fair: The value of wine comes from proper work in the vineyard
Wine always tells a story.
It speaks of territories, vintages, and grape varieties.
Of family traditions and landscapes.
Much more rarely does it tell of the hands that make it possible.
At the Slow Wine Fair in Bologna – which brings together 1,100 wineries from 28 countries – the story changes perspective.
The focus is not only on environmental sustainability or product quality, but on what happens before the bottle: the work.
This issue is back at the center of the debate just as the Ministry of Labor reactivates the anti-corruption committee.
Because behind the romantic image of the vineyard lies a complex reality: a supply chain that relies heavily on the contribution of foreign workers.
And wine, more than other products, has a peculiarity.
It is not a necessity.
It is a choice. Culture. Conviviality.
And for this very reason, emphasizes Serena Milano, general manager of Slow Food Italia, it cannot be separated from ethics:
“Drinking wine is a social experience. Knowing that it does not come from the exploitation of vulnerable people becomes part of its quality.”
The quality you can’t see
Today, talking about quality no longer means just analyzing aromas or production techniques.
More and more companies are including work among their criteria for excellence.
A silent but profound paradigm shift.
In 2020, the Accademia della Vigna was founded with a concrete goal: to respond to the precariousness that characterized work in the fields.
No contracts. Insufficient skills. Fragile relationships. The project combines training, inclusion, and social responsibility, creating a bridge between companies and workers—often from Africa, Pakistan, and Bangladesh.
It’s not just about teaching a trade.
It’s about building stability.
Transparency as a value
On the other side of the ocean, the Lideres Campesinas organization works to make the role of women farm workers visible.
An essential and often invisible job.
Through so-called “ethical labels,” a QR code allows you to learn about the conditions under which a wine is produced: gender equality, safety, training.
The story of the bottle expands.
No longer just origin and terroir, but dignity of work.
From complaint to change
Yvan Sagnet’s story reminds us how real the problem is.
He came to Italy to study, but found himself working in the fields of Nardò in extreme conditions: 14 hours a day for a few euros.
That experience sparked his commitment.
Over the years, the NOCap organization has regularized the status of over 5,000 workers from shantytowns.
The No Cap label now identifies products obtained through fair labor practices.
A signal for the market.
And for the consumer.
Investing in people
The Arco del Lavoro cooperative was founded in 2008 by a family of Macedonian origin who know the meaning of precariousness well.
Today, it involves over a hundred workers from different parts of the world.
The principle is simple: people’s stability improves the quality of work. And, consequently, also the quality of wine.
The value of “fairness”
The message that emerges from the Slow Wine Fair is clear.
The issue of labor is no longer just a critical problem to be solved.
It is becoming an indicator of quality.
At a time when value is increasingly measured in terms of transparency, wine is also called upon to tell the whole story of what makes it possible. Not only the soil from which it comes, but also the people who cultivate it. Because its most authentic quality today is not only found in the glass, but in the conditions in which it comes to life.
In a supply chain that represents one of the strongest symbols of Italian identity, the future also depends on the ability to recognize the human value behind every harvest.
Because wine is not only born from the earth.
It is born from relationships.
And its excellence today is also measured in terms of justice. Above all.
