Micaela Pallini named president of Federvini

Micaela Pallini, former vice president of Gruppo Spiriti, has been elected president of Federvini, the Italian industry association for wine and spirits.

Pallini was elected president at the end of an assembly held in Rome on 25 May, marking the first time that a woman has become president of the association.

The female breakthrough is strengthened with the election of Albiera Antinori (Marchesi Antinori) as president of the Gruppo Vini.

Pallini is a fifth generation member of the Pallini company in Rome, the only distillery in the capital of Italy, founded in 1875 and known for Mistrà (anise-based liqueur) and for its limoncello – a brand leader in the duty free sector and in the US.

She takes over as president of Federvini from Sandro Boscaini, known as ‘Mr. Amarone ‘, the president of Masi Agricola, who chaired the association for two terms from 2014.

Piero Mastroberardino and Aldo Davoli of the Campari Group were appointed to the vice-presidency to look after wine and spirits respectively.

For the presidency of the individual groups, in addition to Albiera Antinori for the wine, Giuseppe D’Avino (Strega Alberti Benevento) was elected for to oversee spirits and Giacomo Ponti (Ponti) vinegar.

The priorities of the new phase of Federvini were indicated by the new president during the first public event organised by the association.

A top priority is restarting hospitality within Italian wine and spirits companies, in a more integrated and constant promotion of the sector.

The association is also seeking greater regulatory simplifications from the Italian government and in a further acceleration of sustainability.

One of the key issues at the moment concerns European policies related to the protection of health.

“We must avoid the demonisation of the consumption of our products and work to reach an agreement on labelling that won’t penalise us” Pallini said.

The sectors of which Federvini is the main national representative body count 340,000 companies, over 1 million employees and a turnover that, by adding direct and induced components, is worth about 2% of the Italian GDP.

During 2020, the increase in consumption in the off-trade channel didn’t make up for the decline in the on-trade, where wine and spirits producers’ revenues dropped by around €1.2 billion, along with a €261m decline in exports.

Italy, according to the data from the Edison Foundation, is the second European exporter by value in the categories of sparkling wines and bottled wines. It is the European leader for the vermouth/bitters and vinegar categories.