Antinori Leaves DOCG

[Craig Camp]

VILLA ANTINORI GOES IGT

Antinori is to pull its Villa Antinori brand out of the Chianti Classico DOCG and

include it in the Toscana IGT, ‘in the name of quality’, as of the 2001 vintage.

The brand, which was previously produced using grapes sourced from both

Antinori-owned vineyards and from suppliers on long-term contracts in the

DOCG, will now be made exclusively from grapes grown in Antinori’s 1,100 hectares

of vineyards throughout Tuscany. According to Susannah George, marketing manager at Berkmann Wine Cellars, Antinori’s UK agent, the move comes in response to ‘exorbitant’ grape prices in the

Chianti Classico region and out of a desire to experiment with ‘different blends’,

including international varieties. ‘They [Antinori] wanted to have greater control,’

George said. ‘I’m sure a lot of other suppliers are in the same position, and will

probably follow them. It’s not the death knell for Chianti Classico – there will still be

a lot of it about – but it’s going to become increasingly expensive.’

Antinori will maintain a presence in the Chianti Classico DOCG, however, with wines

produced on the Pèppoli and Badia a Passignano estates, while Tenute Marchese

Antinori will remain within the appellation. 

From Harpers-Wine.com

"response to ‘exorbitant’ grape prices in the Chianti Classico region and out of a desire to experiment with ‘different blends"

To what to you attribute this change at Antinori? The desire to increase profit or the desire to experiment? For my take on DOCG and IGT please see the links below.

Wine Camp: The DOCG Disaster

Wine Camp: IGT Note in Good Taste

[Elissa]

Could it also be to slough off bureaucracy?

Nice writing and reporting CC and thanks for keeping us on top of it