The Vittorio and Mariella Moretti Foundation will host “The culture of wine and the identity of territories: the work of the abbeys,” a significant conference organized by Vini d’Abbazia. The event is scheduled for Saturday, October 4th, 2025, at 11:30 AM at the stunning and historic Convento della Santissima Annunciata in Franciacorta.
The event promises to be a high-level professional dialogue exploring the profound link between wine culture and territory. It will center on the historic and contemporary role of abbeys in enhancing the landscape, disseminating agricultural knowledge, and acting as guardians of the spirit of place.
Tradition, spirituality, and innovation will serve as the guiding themes for a day dedicated to celebrating a shared heritage—one deeply rooted in Italian history and particularly that of the Franciacorta territory, which owes its orientation toward viticultural excellence precisely to the foundational work of the abbeys.
The conference will feature the participation of distinguished representatives from the monastic, academic, and entrepreneurial worlds, including:
- Vittorio Moretti, President of the Vittorio and Mariella Moretti Foundation
- Renzo Cotarella, CEO of Marchesi Antinori and Head of Production for Badia a Passignano [Florence]
- Attilio Scienza, Full Professor of Viticulture at the University of Milan
- Don Andrea Santus, Abbey of Monte Oliveto Maggiore [Siena]
- Father Stefano Visintin, Abbey of Praglia [Padova]
- Werner Waldboth, Director of Sales & Marketing for Abbazia di Novacella [Bolzano]
- Manfred Bernard, Head Winemaker of the Benedictine Convent of Muri-Gries [Bolzano]
- Father Luigi Cavagna, Franciscan Convent of Rodengo Saiano [Brescia], Rector of the Accademia Symposium
- Brother Michele Badino, Monastery of Bose [Assisi]
Leading institutional authorities will also be involved, including the Minister of Agriculture, the Regional Assessor for Agriculture, the Mayors of Franciacorta, and representatives from Coldiretti, AIS Lombardia, the Franciacorta Consortium, and the Franciacorta Wine Route. The conference will be moderated by Rocco Tolfa, a journalist for Rai.
Following the conference, attendees will have the opportunity to enjoy a walk-around tasting of a selection of wines from the participating abbeys, curated by AIS Lombardia. It presents a unique occasion to discover ancient winemaking traditions and meet those who act as their modern-day custodians.
The choice of the Convento della Santissima Annunciata as the venue is deeply symbolic. A site of immense historical, spiritual, and architectural value, it was entrusted to the Vittorio and Mariella Moretti Foundation by the Order of the Servants of Mary in 2018. The Foundation has undertaken the commitment to manage it and return it to the community as a center for culture and hospitality. As Carlo Petrini stated at the official handover ceremony, “The Convento della Santissima Annunciata must be a place of community, a space where beauty and goodness coincide. A common good returned to the territory through the vision and generosity of those who care for it.”
This initiative is part of a full day of events organized by the Foundation. An open-day event at the Convent titled “Come in famiglia” (Like Family) will run from 8:00 AM to midnight, inviting the public to come together for nature walks, workshops, readings, and gatherings. The goal is to restore this ancient site’s role as a living, open space where culture, nature, spirituality, and community can authentically intertwine.
The event has received the patronage of the Fondazione Italia Patria della Bellezza (Italy, Homeland of Beauty Foundation), an organization founded to promote initiatives that “center on the value of beauty, Italy’s true talent.”