Treviso winemaker crushed to death by wine press

An Italian winemaker died on Friday evening while cleaning out a wine press after the machine briefly turned back on following a “power outage”, with him inside it.

Matteo Forner, head of the Pat del Colmél winery and local councillor for the municipality of Castelcucco in northern Italy, died last week in an accident involving a wine press.

Forner was cleaning the press, which appeared to be turned off, when the machine sprang suddenly back into action, trapping Forner by the neck and killing him instantly.

The victim’s father, Pietro Forner, who witnessed the accident, immediately called emergency services. However, Matteo was pronounced dead on arrival.

According to local publication Corriere del Veneto, Matteo Forner “had done it [the cleaning] a thousand times and was convinced that the press he’d used during the day was off this time too.”

Despite talk of a power outage being responsible for the event, the Treviso Public Prosecutor’s Office has since opened a manslaughter probe into the incident.

Matteo Forner (centre) died last week while cleaning a wine press

“Before becoming a city councillor, Matteo was a dear friend. He was kind and helpful, a tireless worker,” said Paolo Mares, mayor of Castelcucco.”Workwise, he was a monster, and it showed in the work he did at the winery. Today we have lost a very precious person, also for the entire community.”

The Pat del Colmél winery is located in the Montello Colli Asolani sub-region of Treviso in the Veneto, with vineyards stretching across the Asolane hills planted to native grape varieties including Glera, Bianchetta, Perera, Marzemina, Rabbiosa, and Recantina. The business has been owned by the Forner family since 1875, passed down from husband and wife founders Pina and Pietro Forner, to today’s owners Gabriella and Lino Forner, and their son Matteo, who has led the company in recent years.

Matteo Forner, who was just 10 days away from his 45th birthday when he died, leaves behind a 15-year-old son.