ITER VITIS

The Grapevine Route

The Cultural Itinerary through the Great Vineyards in Europe

On 15th May 2009 the European Council recognised the Cultural Route Iter Vitis - Les Chemins de la Vigne.

The project is supported by the International Association Iter Vitis, located in Palazzo Panitteri in Sambuca di Sicilia. Its aim is to manage the cultural route Iter Vitis to promote the oldest and most beautiful vineyards in Europe.

Chronologically, it is the 25^th Cultural Route recognised by the Council of Europe, following the Via Francigena, the Santiago de Compostela Pilgrim Routes, the Phoenicians’ Route, just to mention the most famous. Within a few years, though, it is likely to become the main leitmotif linking wine-making activities to the material and immaterial marks left by both nature and man, and his vine and wine culture.

Vine and wine culture, its marks and the connected human experiences represent an extremely important heritage for Europe and its citizens.

Only since recently has the UNESCO listed these rural landscapes created by wine culture as World Heritage Sites but these few sites represent but a small part of the actual reality. There are plenty of vines, vineyards, tales, places and things worth to be known and promoted, to be protected and strengthened, where necessary.

Along with wheat and olive tree, grapevine is fundamental in Mediterranean food culture; the improvement and spreading of its cultivation, then its domestication in the IV millennium B.C., are among the highest man’s achievements.

Our story begins in Caucasus: different vines, grape cultivation and wine-making, techniques for preserving and transporting, myths and symbols spread from the East to the West, crossing land and sea, and are owned and enriched by the people hosting them.

These are the roots and the core of the collective imagination about the world of wine. The establishing principles of the European Cultural Route Iter Vitis are:

• the culture of  grapevine and wine has always been a recognisable sign of identity and civilization all over Europe and the rest of the world;

• the need to defend and enhance the heritage of ancient vineyards and grape growing techniques;

• cataloguing and promoting historic vineyards;

• research and information recording;

• a plan to develop a conscious and sustainable tourism, oriented mainly to young people.

Iter Vitis, then, is a new chance for a different journey through Europe in order to renew and  improve wine tourism supply, by promoting the great variety of European wine terroirs, landscapes and culture.

Paolo Benvenuti is the President of our Association, Gori Sparacino is our director and Emanuela Panke the General Secretary.

Objectives

The European Cultural Route Iter Vitis encourages the protection of European country landscape, an immaterial additional value heritage. Vineyards landscapes are very important for Europe, and are going to be listed as cultural site of World Heritage.

Actions

Defence of the landscape along our route

Promotion of sustainable tourism in our territory

Cooperation with the other routes

Communication campaigns and activities aimed to young people

Education of  our operators

Membership

Different kinds of members, public and private, can join our association: municipalities, provinces, regions, wine routes, associations, GAL, any local institution, foundations, universities, companies in general and specifically operating in the wine field.

Sicilian Wine Routes are members of Iter Vitis.

You can find more information on www.itervitis.eu