Italian Committee to Safeguard DOC/IGT

[Craig Camp]

WINE: COMMITTEE TO SAFEGUARD DOC AND IGT BRANDS

(AGI) - Rome, Italy, July 29 - The 2003-2008 national committee for DOC and IGT wines has been established: the chairman is Tommaso Zanoletti. "The committee has always - said the undersecretary of agriculture, Teresio Delfino - reply firmly to the needs of our appellation controlle' wines, and will pursue initiatives which are already underway (reform of law 164), for a concrete wine policy". The administration will enhance the committee's tools, in order to meet the demands of the wine sector. (AGI)

292034 LUG 03

COPYRIGHTS 2002-2003 AGI S.p.A.

[Echezeaux]

WINE: COMMITTEE TO SAFEGUARD DOC AND IGT BRANDS

(AGI) - Rome, Italy, July 29 - "...for a concrete wine policy". The administration will enhance the committee's tools, in order to meet the demands of the wine sector."

1. Which winemakers have a need for "concrete" shoes, I wonder????

2. More seriously...the DOC, DOCG and IGT laws are lovely, but when producers skirt the laws with various curious practices (blending non-approved varieties into DOC, DOCG wines, per esempio), what's the difference what the "law" says if nobody audits or regulates the wineries?

And not to pick on the Italians, because there are shenanigans in other countries, too, of course.

[Loris]

what's the difference what the "law" says if nobody audits or regulates the wineries?

Controls exists, every DOC and DOCG wines are subject to:

- yelds verification

- chemical analysis

- tasting

- other documentary controls

by the local trade commission (Camera di Commercio) or wine consortium

Wineries, as all food producers, may be checked at any time by NAS, a special police branch for counterfeit products.

Can anyone detail me what kind of specific rules are adopted in the USA?

[Craig Camp]

what's the difference what the "law" says if nobody audits or regulates the wineries?

Controls exists, every DOC and DOCG wines are subject to:

- yields verification

- chemical analysis

- tasting

- other documentary controls

by the local trade commission (Camera di Commercio) or wine consortium

Wineries, as all food producers, may be checked at any time by NAS, a special police branch for counterfeit products.

Can anyone detail me what kind of specific rules are adopted in the USA?

Loris - as I believe you live in Italy I am sure that you have had a chance to taste all the incredibly bad wines sold in Italian grocery stores under famous DOC and DOCG names and the lofty rules you mention. Obviously the rules can be 'adjusted' to meet the needs of the producers.

The rules sound grand but in practice mean little.

[Loris]

Craig - Yes I live in Italy in Reggio Emilia, I agree that rules can not guarantee the quality. DOC means "Di Origine Controllata" - 'of controlled origin', these rules have their value when they protect the origin of the wine, so you will not find on your table a "Chianti della Valpolicella". This prevents also million liters low-low-low quality producers like Tavernello to print 'DOC' on their wine boxes.

These rules provide a control of part of the winemaking process, the choice to invest in quality is left to the producer. This is the reason why you can find bad wines labeled as DOCG.

[Craig Camp]

I saw an ad for Tavernello today for Euro 5.40 -- for 5 liters.

Yes quality is left to the producer. That is why for quality you have to seek out the best producers - not look for DOC or DOCG names.

I live just outside of Varese.

[Echezeaux]

Controls exists, every DOC and DOCG wines are subject to:

- yelds verification

- chemical analysis

- tasting

- other documentary controls

by the local trade commission (Camera di Commercio) or wine consortium

As one participant here pointed out, there's a lot of poor quality wine sold bearing the DOC and DOCG designations.

These are supposedly more about controlling that wines actually are made from grapes grown in a particular "denominazione" and made of grape varieties approved for that designation.

However, there is a great temptation to ameliorate one's wine with something perhaps stronger, darker in color, etc.

And the government bureaucrats sat idly by when there was a big "to do" when some prominent Italian wine critics spotlighted the practice of "ameliorating" Barbaresco and Barolo wines with Barbera.

Who's regulating the wines making their way to the US market which have got to be frauds??? I am thinking of a Barbaresco and an Amarone being sold at a chain of retail stores of those denominazione for $9.99 a bottle. Neither one tastes of its appellation.

[Craig Camp]

Who's regulating the wines making their way to the US market which have got to be frauds???  I am thinking of a Barbaresco and an Amarone being sold at a chain of retail stores of those denominazione for $9.99 a bottle.  Neither one tastes of its appellation.

You must be referring to Trader Joe's. I had not tasted the Barbaresco but have had the $9.99 Barolo and the Amarone. As you so politely put it, neither tastes of the appellation and even at this price are bad values. The sad thing is that these wines do not have to be frauds. You can make cheap Barolo within the rules. These wines passed the tasting test just like Monfortino did.

[badthings]

Surely the method for making Amarone (ripasso?) is costly enough that some corners must have been cut (or vines left uncut) to sell it for $10, even at TJ's. I stare at it every time I go. Which is obviously a problem with the DOC laws. The best strategy at TJ's is only to buy stuff under $5, so you can't be disappointed no matter how it tastes.

[Loris]

Who are the producers?

[badthings]

I will check the next time I go to TJ's but it could be a while.

[Loris]

Craig - You live in a beautiful place . Do you own an import/export company?

[Craig Camp]

Craig - You live in a beautiful place    . Do you own an import/export company?

It is a beautiful place.

In a previous incarnation I was a wine importer and distributor based in Chicago. Today I am a writer living in Varese. I like this better.

[badthings]

Finally went to TJ's last night:

Amarone "Conte di Bregonzo"

bottled by C.V.B. S.R.L., Verona

imported by Santini, San Lorenzo, CA

Most of the italian wines were the same bottler and importer (I should have checked to see if the address on Barbaresco was in Verona or Piedmont).

I picked up a cheap bourdeaux ($10 Lalande-de-Pomerol), of which they have several, hoping I'd get lucky, something I've given up in their Italian section.

[Loris]

badthings: thank you for this very useful info

I found the label here and someone who likes it here, but I did not found any info about CVB...

Edited September 11, 2003 by Loris (log)

[Bill Klapp]

Loris, in answer to your question, in the U.S., we like to regulate the NAMES of wines and to make sure that every bottle says useful things like "contains sulfites" and "may be harmful to pregnant women". We have no interest whatsoever in the quality or composition of what goes into the bottle!

[badthings]

Decanter reports that Soave producers are ignoring the new DOGC.

Leonildo Pieropan... thinks the maximum yield is too high (10 tonnes per hectare, down from 14). 'The new DOCG only guarantees the interests of the large cooperative wineries. I do not believe it will add value to the product,' he said.

[Craig Camp]

Decanter reports that Soave producers are ignoring the new DOGC.

Leonildo Pieropan... thinks the maximum yield is too high (10 tonnes per hectare, down from 14). 'The new DOCG only guarantees the interests of the large cooperative wineries. I do not believe it will add value to the product,' he said.

The Soave DOCG is not being just ignored by top producers - it is causing a revolt. Soon the best wines of Soave won't even carry the DOC.

However you will see a lot of DOCG Bolla Soave.