Vino Nobile producers: just say no to Merlotization!

It’s truly difficult to understand why the Vino Nobile di Montepulciano Producers Association recently presented such a peculiar proposal, namely, that the minimum percentage of Sangiovese allowed by appellation regulations be lowered from 80% to 70% while the percentage of “varieties recommended and authorized by the province of Siena” (read Cabernet, Merlot, Syrah, etc.) be [...]

Sagrantino cru designation study gets go-ahead

The Sagrantino di Montefalco Producers Association has received the green-light from Italy’s Agriculture Ministry to launch a study of proposed cru designations for the appellation. A commission of Italian and foreign experts, researchers, enologists, and journalists will be announced shortly, according to a statement released by the association.
The “pilot project” has been approved by the [...]

Study points to “generational transition” as cause for drastic reductions Italian wine sector

Roughly 1,700 Italian wine industry operators have shut their doors, according to a study commissioned by the Milan Chamber of Commerce, with an overall reduction of 2% in the sector.
Calabria and and the Marches showed restrained growth, with 40 and 27 new companies respectively, while Sicily (-704), Piedmont (-319), and the Veneto (-242) have experienced [...]

“Interregional” Prosecco DOC and Prosecco DOCG intended to battle “agropiracy”

According to a statement published last month by Italy’s agricultural ministry, recently approved legislation creating an interregional Prosecco DOC (covering Friuli-Venezia Giulia and the Veneto) and a Prosecco DOCG (covering traditional areas of production, Valdobbiadene, Conegliano, and the Colli Asolani) was intended to battle what minister Luca Zaia calls “agropiracy.”
“Thanks to this decision,” said Zaia [...]

Agreements reached in Brunello investigation, Biondi Santi and Col d’Orcia cleared, as inquiry moves forward for others

According to a report published Wednesday in the Italian daily La Nazione, Biondi Santi and Col d’Orcia have been cleared of any wrong doing in the Siena prosecutor’s Brunello investigation, while other wineries implicated have declassified their wines and reached agreements with the prosecutor, and the inquiry moves forward for Argiano, Frescobaldi, and Valdicava:
Preservation of [...]

Wine industry fairs begin today

The Italian wine industry trade fairs begin today: Vinitaly, Vino Vino Vino 2009 (Vini Veri, Triple A, Renaissance du Terroir), VinNatur (begins April 5), and Summa (also begins April 5).

No vote held on proposed Montalcino DOC

According to a post published today by Alessandro Bindocci at the blog Montalcino Report, no vote was held last week by the Association of Brunello Producers on the proposed creation of a Montalcino DOC. According to his report, the proposal was put to the floor but no action was taken, although a vote had [...]

Wine wizards: there are those among us who still believe

In the days leading up to the (unfortunately unavoidable) appointment at Vinitaly, my inbox is literally assaulted (like that of any journalist) by a series of pressing invitations to visit the stands of wineries and winery consortia at the fair.
The lesser known the wineries, the more the quality of their wine needs to be demonstrated [...]