“Operation Mixed Wine”: amounts of declassified Brunello and Rosso di Montalcino and Chianti Classico announced by Italian authorities
According to a report published today, Italy’s Treasury Department (Guardia di Finanza) has announced that 20% of the 6.7 million liters of Brunello di Montalcino impounded last year and that 40% of 1.7 million liters of Rosso di Montalcino DOC and Chianti Classico DOCG have been declassified from DOCG and DOC status to IGT Toscana Rosso. At the conclusion of an investigation, dubbed “Operation Mixed Wine” and launched in September 2007 by Italian authorities, 5 wineries have been cited for adulteration of their wines, which have been “cut and softened” with unauthorized grapes according to their official findings. At least 13 persons have been named in the investigation’s findings and at least one person has been cited for falsifying public documents.
VinoWire will continue to report on this breaking news as details emerge.
Errata corrige (July 19, 2009): yesterday, VinoWire reported that 7 wineries had been cited for adulterating their wines. In fact, 7 wineries were investigated, 5 were cited for releasing wines “not in conformity” with appellation regulations, and 2 were absolved of any wrongdoing.
Filed under: News
[...] impounded and 40% of the 1.7 mil liters of Rosso di Montalcino and Chianti. Read my translation here. I’ll be back at my desk later so stay [...]
thanks for keeping your ear to the ground for us…it’s sad news, but we need the truth to come out!
[...] I posted yesterday at VinoWire on the news that emerged not only from Montalcino but also from Chianti Classico, I couldn’t [...]