Montalcino throws out Rosso changes

Montalcino's producers yesterday overwhelmingly rejected proposals to change Rosso di Montalcino's production code.

The proposals put forward by the Consorzio del Vino Brunello di Montalcino were to allow other grapes in Rosso di Montalcino, permit irrigation and chang current vineyard regulations.

The majority of Consorzio members attended the Assembly, and 69% voted not to change Rosso di Montalcino.

Voting rights depend on winery size: small to medium-sized wineries had an average of 3 votes each, while the biggest wineries had up to 60 votes.

The landslide victory left most producers buoyant. ‘This is an important milestone for Montalcino’s producers who work so hard to create unique, terroir-driven wines from Sangiovese,’ Gigliola Gorelli of Tenute Le Potazzine, one of Brunello’s rising stars, said.

Col d’Orcia’s Francesco Marone Cinzano said, ‘Montalcino’s producers have once again spoken out in favour of protecting the pedigree of our wines.

‘But I am very upset over the amount of time, effort and expense this call for a vote has cost everyone here in Montalcino. There was no logic or planning to their proposals, they just decided to call for the vote.’

Jacopo Biondi Santi, who distributes his father Franco’s Brunellos along with his own Castello di Montepo, supported the ‘no’ vote.

He told Decanter.com, ‘Thankfully Montalcino made the right decision yesterday, not only in terms of image, but in commercial terms. These proposals would have led to many more vines registered to Rosso production, and they would have saturated the market.’

Consorzio board member Fabrizio Bindocci said, ‘Montalcino has lost a great opportunity to have two Rossos that would have satisfied all markets. But this was a democratic vote, done by secret ballot, and the producers have spoken. At least now we know what route to take for the future’.

Written by Kerin O’Keefe