The Regional Secretary for Agriculture and Forestry announced today on Pico that the Regional Oenology Laboratory will begin to analyse samples of wines that have applied for certification, thus reducing costs and improving the response time.
 
"To date, all wine samples for certification have been sent to a laboratory outside the Region. Naturally, this caused delays and increased costs," said João Ponte. He spoke after signing a cooperation protocol between the Regional Oenology Laboratory and the Regional Wine Commission (CVR).
 
João Ponte pointed out that, from now on, the analyses are now carried out in the Azores. This also represents "an important moment of affirmation and recognition" of the work developed by the Regional Oenology Laboratory, which "has good facilities, adequate equipment as well as a committed, motivated and qualified technical team."
 
The Regional Secretary considered that this moment is also another step towards the consolidation of wine growing and production in the archipelago and on Pico, in particular; the latter has great tradition in this sector.
 
Between 2014 and 2017, 469 applications were submitted under the VITIS programme, corresponding to an area of 760 hectares and an investment of nearly 20 million Euros, revealed João Ponte.
 
"These data give good note of the importance of this programme in the development of the wine growing in the Azores and, especially, on Pico Island, which, as we know, was the island that submitted the highest number of applications," said the government official.
 
João Ponte also pointed out the main challenges that the sector faces in the future, given the expected increase in production. In this context, the government official stressed that it will be necessary to boost the processing capacity in order to provide an outlet for the wine produced, ensure its promotion and, above all, its profitability, thus safeguarding the sustainability of production.
 
According to João Ponte, we need to have some predictability regarding the future and the aid available for the maintenance of vineyards by producers. In the end of 2017, the Government established a working group with members from the departments of Agriculture and the Environment to define a support framework for the maintenance of vineyards.
 
An agreement was also signed today to allow the CVR to use a space within the Regional Oenology Laboratory for sensory tests, since that commission does not have the conditions to do them at its premises.
 
Currently, the Azores have 38 brands of certified wine, numerous individual producers, three identified wine areas, including Biscoitos (Terceira Island), Graciosa and Pico, and the Protected Geographical Indication designation for quality white and red wines.