The Regional Director for the Environment stressed the "work and dedication" of wine producers in the Protected Landscape of Pico at the closing session of the celebrations of the 10th anniversary of the classification of the Landscape of Pico Island Vineyard Culture.

Hernâni Jorge pointed out the significance of organising this ceremony in simultaneous with the ceremony to distinguish wine producers who produced more grapes in 2013. According to the government, the latter event distinguished "those who continue to make this landscape a unique place of international recognition with their work and dedication."

During his speech delivered at the ceremony, held last Monday, Hernâni Jorge also stressed the pertinence of the decision concerning the classification of the vast Landscape of Pico Island Vineyard Culture and the added value brought by it, particularly after being recognised as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 2004.

At the time, the area of vineyards within the classified area was only 130 hectares. If take into consideration the area of 123 hectares that will be recovered under projects funded by the Regional Secretariat for Agriculture and Environment and another area of 91 hectares whose recovery projects were recently submitted under the Vitis programme, the area of vineyards is expected to exceed 350 hectares within the next three or four years.

This evolution was the result of the decisive commitment of wine producers and the allocation of public support. The Government of the Azores has invested in the recovery and maintenance of vineyards on Pico has doubled over the last years, increasing from 549 thousand Euros in 2012 to 1.1 million Euros this year.

All this investment, whether public or private, has resulted in increased quantity and quality of wine produced either with designation of origin or with designation of geographical indication. It has contributed to the generation of wealth, the enhancement of the local and regional tourism offer, and to the attraction of external investment, such as the recent project for the construction of a hotel targeted at wine tourism that will rebuild the old Convent of Carmo in Toledos.

At the ceremony, the Cellar "A Buraca" distinguished the main grape producers on the island of Pico in 2013 with the awarding of prizes in the following categories: "grape varieties suitable to the production of wines under the Pico designation of origin," "grape varieties suitable to the production of wines under the Azores designation of geographical origin" (red and white varieties), and "traditional red grape varieties."