24 Feb Liedholm Vineyards Go to the Chinese
Liedholm vineyards end up with the Chinese
Alssandria, the company of the former football player and coach sold.
A multinational with Chinese financiers bursts into the hills of Alessandria and buys Villa Boemia, a historic winery of the Liedholm family. The house and estate of Cuccaro, the dream realized by the “baron” Nils in the mid-Seventies, were sold by his son Carlo to Monte Fertato, an Italian “offshoot” of a world leader in elevator mechanics, which has a strong Asian component. The agreement was signed two days ago in front of the notary, but the negotiations had been going on for months and the first contacts between the parties date back to October 2014, when a delegation of buyers had taken part incognito in the Fairplay award ceremony assigned every year in Cuccaro to a football figure similar in values and sporting ethics to the unforgettable Scandinavian player and coach.
The grandchildren’s choice
Diversifying investments is one of the multinational’s goals, wine is a resource and the Liedholm’s appeal did the rest. In order to buy, however, someone is needed who wants to sell. Nils probably would never have done it: he was in love with the area, he was very attached to his vineyards and he had dedicated himself totally to it in the last years of his life, passing on part of his passion to his son Carlo. His grandsons Paolo and Erik have instead taken different paths and have other professional goals. Carlo himself has felt the weight and effort of management and has preferred to pass the baton. He did so not without regrets, but with an economic benefit because those who were required by law to know the details of the operation (the owners of neighboring lands have the pre-emption right to purchase) speak of a “one-figure sale with many zeros”. Perhaps also for this reason, the negotiation lasted a long time: the preliminary contract had been stipulated in spring, the purchase option was exercised by Monte Ferrato one day before the deadline expired.
Possible developments
In the village, now, they are waiting to understand what will happen. Those who know Carlo Liedholm deeply, had perceived his intentions («he was part of the consortium “Nobili colline del Monferrato”, but he did not participate in the meetings, we suspect that he had tired of this world a bit») and are convinced that a change in management will bring new life. Confagricoltura Alessandria, to which the company was associated, also followed every step of the negotiation with the president Luca Brandelli, knowing the buyers and making sure of their good intentions.
«We have many ideas, there will be continuity with the past and the status quo will not be overturned» they assure from MonteFerrato. Mayor Bellinaso will meet the new owners in a few days. «I know that they would like to strengthen the activity, I hope so because it would be an additional resource for the territory» he comments. There is also confidence among the other winemakers: «In these areas the Grignolino is exceptional and not because we produce it but because the soil is ideal. If capable and organized people arrive, we will all benefit and the image of the area will be enhanced”.
Consumers
Certainly, we are already moving: the cultivated surface is not huge (about 11 hectares), but this is the period of treatments to the rows and in two months it will already be time for the harvest. “All the wine to the Chinese market? Let’s not joke, the prized Grignolino from this land is not produced in large quantities and we will maintain the clientele that Carlo Liedholin had, points out the company’s administrator Fabienne Moretta. At most, we will send a little Barbera to Asia”.