The organization aims to “coordinate the public policy strategy that will henceforth be developed in the regional wine sector.”

You’re going to lead the Azores Vine and Wine Institute. What processes still need to be finalized, particularly about the Azores Regional Wine Commission, which this Institute now replaces?
First of all, I would like to stress the enormous importance that the serious, responsible and competent work of the technical staff of the CVR Açores has represented in dignifying and enhancing the regional wine sector, throughout its 30 years of existence, certifying wines from the Region, and thus attesting to and guaranteeing their quality and genuineness. To answer your question specifically, this new Regional Body, a Public Institute, will assume a wide range of competencies and duties, including those related to the Control and Certification of wines and wine products produced in the Azores, thereby absorbing the competencies currently developed by CVR Açores. The genesis of the creation of IVV Açores, IPRA was the intention to merge all the competencies developed by both the Regional Oenology Laboratory and CVR Açores, as well as to include some competencies developed by other government departments and add others, seeking to integrate decision-making processes and agree on the public policy strategy to be developed in the regional wine sector from now on. In this way, and under the diplomas issued by the Regional Parliament that created the IVVAçores, IPRA, the human resources assigned to the Regional Oenology Laboratory (as they already belong to the regional civil service) were immediately linked to the IVV Açores, which is not the case with the human resources of the CVR Açores, as this entity is a legal person under private law. The transition of these human resources will be carried out, initially, through assignment in the public interest and subsequently through competitive recruitment processes. This process is currently underway.
“In accordance with the legislation issued by the Regional Parliament that created the IVV Açores, IPRA, the human resources assigned to the Regional Oenology Laboratory (as they already belonged to the regional civil service) were immediately linked to the IVV Açores, which is not the case with the human resources of the CVR Açores, as this entity is a legal person governed by private law. The transition of these human resources will be carried out, in the first instance, by assignment in the public interest and then through competitive recruitment processes. This process is currently underway.”

How does this restructuring intend to boost viticulture in the Azores?
The IVVAçores, as the body responsible for implementing public policies for the regional wine sector, most of which are related to the Strategic Plan for Winegrowing in the Azores, a plan designed for a decade, will also be responsible for ensuring compliance with the legal and regulatory framework for the sector, ensuring certification, control and inspection of the quality, authenticity and genuineness of wines and wine products produced in the Azores. This new body, which will better structure and confer a prestigious status to the regional wine sector, will have the important mission of enhancing and promoting our products on national and international markets, thereby increasing the visibility and notoriety of our region as a producer of excellent-quality wines and genuine, differentiated products. More than a body that implements public policies, it will also be a proponent of measures and actions that bring modernity to the sector, whether through technology, information, training and digitalization, in short, that can contribute to improving the working conditions of winegrowers and economic agents in the sector and, above all, the income obtained from it. The challenges are many and complex. We face climate change, pest problems, labor shortages, and numerous other challenges. But we also have a very strong potential that still needs a lot more work, which is wine tourism. This is where much of the sector’s success can stem from. There is no successful wine-growing region that doesn’t have a thriving wine tourism sector.

What are the concrete objectives in the field of certification?
In the case of wines and other products of vinous origin produced in the Azores, certification is carried out by CVR Açores, which is the entity accredited by IPAC to certify these products. Being an entity accredited by IPAC – Instituto Português da Acreditação (Portuguese Accreditation Institute) means that it has been recognized for its technical competence and complies with all applicable legal requirements. Certified products, in the case of wines, means giving the consumer confidence that this product has been checked from the vineyard to the bottle that is sold, that the genuineness of the product is guaranteed, which means ensuring the origin, from the Azores, and that it corresponds to the quality mentioned on the label, whether it is DO or IG. Having a CVRAçores and an LRE – Laboratório Regional de Enologia (Regional Oenology Laboratory), entities accredited by IPAC, which will now be under the tutelage of the IVVAçores, was a huge achievement, and it’s a status we absolutely cannot lose; otherwise, we’ll be going back decades in this sector. This is a matter of enormous responsibility, as it involves ensuring the accreditation of these two areas of activity, which serve our regional wine sector.

What is essential in terms of promotion? Can we say that Azorean wines have already established a name for themselves, or are there still strategic markets to be explored? Which ones?
In terms of promotion, I would consider quality and genuineness to be essential. Quality and differentiation seem fundamental to me. Next, I think it’s important to unite the sector. A common and concerted strategy among the different players. With quality (as high as possible), a common strategy and professional marketing work, I believe the essential conditions for promotion are in place. We already have most of this; we just need to work a little harder and improve on some aspects, and then move on to the markets. Consolidating the ones we already have and conquering new ones. The strategic markets will always be those that appreciate our products and purchase them at a fair price, ensuring that those who produce them are compensated for the effort and cost of doing so. There will be no great novelty here, nor anything to invent. What will be needed is a lot of work, a good understanding between everyone, and choosing the right partners. The internationalization of our wines and other regional wine products is fundamental. We may take a few different routes to get there, but I believe that in this area, being linked to VINIPORTUGAL will be very important.

From Correio dos Açores (Natalino Vivieiros, director) and Diário Insular (José Lourenço, director)