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Submitted by Lorenzo on Thu, 2011-02-10 10:28.One third of Italian vines should be grubbed up: Antinori
Submitted by Lorenzo on Mon, 2010-09-13 10:08.Amy Wislocki (decanter.com) writes:
One third of Italy's vines should be replanted or pulled out because they are making unmarketable wines, Marchese Piero Antinori says.
Despite Italy's success in global markets, the leading producer and former Decanter Man of the Year reckons 30% of vines are making wines unacceptable to today's markets.
According to Antinori, the problem is particularly acute in central Italy, where there are thousands of hectares? planted to Trebbiano, 'a not very interesting grape', and in southern Italy – particularly Sicily and Puglia – where many vineyards are producing huge yields of 250hl/ha (hectolitres per hectare?).
'For centuries, viticulture? in Italy was geared to quantity rather than quality, and a large part of its plantings still reflect that old approach,' said Antinori, who was speaking at a seminar in London organised by the Institute of Masters of Wine, in his capacity as president of the Institute of Italian Fine Wines (Premium Brands), a grouping of 17 of Italy's fine wine producers.
'In the past the wines were either blended and exported, largely to France, as very cheap “vin ordinaire” style? wine, or used as a base for vermouth?. Now vermouth doesn't sell and these producers are having to find new markets.'
Antinori said that thousands of hectares are owned by small producers who have neither the resources nor the desire to change.
'Transforming these thousands of inefficient acres that aren't geared to the market is a big? challenge, and more difficult than you might think. The only solution is to incentivise them to grub up the vines or replant.'
Such incentives were introduced in Italy by the EU two years ago, and should bring about big changes within the next four to five years.
Key to Alternative Fuel Could Be Winemaking Yeast
Submitted by Lorenzo on Wed, 2010-07-21 14:04.Jacob Gaffney (winespectator.com) writes:
Researchers looking for alternatives to fossil fuels say they may have found an unlikely ally in certain strains of wine yeast?. Their discovery could lead to clean? energy sources that make economic sense.
Scientists have been exploring biofuels for decades now, hoping to find a replacement for gasoline. The problem has often been developing a biofuel that is price competitive with good old unleaded. For example, in Brazil, which produces a third of the world's bioethanol, glucose is obtained from sugar? cane and fermented into ethanol. In the world's largest bioethanol producer, the United States, starch is harvested from corn for bioethanol.
The problem is that both are popular crops for food. Corn-based ethanol is not economically efficient and only survives thanks to government subsidies. And one famous study showed that the amount of emissions produced by corn and sugar cane ethanol production were similar to those produced by oil.
An alternative to corn, sugar cane and other crops are wild grasses and inedible plant parts, like switchgrass and corn stover. But a great deal of the sugar in such plants comes in the form of xylose, and there is currently no known strain of yeast found that can convert xylose to ethanol efficiently enough to compete with corn and sugar.
Scientists at the department of genetics at Stanford University published a study in June in the Public Library of Science periodical Genetics that focused on finding an efficient yeast to break down xylose into a usable biofuel. According to one of the scientists working on the project, Gavin Sherlock, the team was able to identify 38 strains of yeast that can convert xylose into ethanol. All 38 are strains of yeast for winemaking.
"We were able to identify the gene responsible for this ability, which carries out one of the steps by which cells use this sugar," Sherlock said. "We found that this gene exists widely in wine yeasts?, though there are certainly many strains that do not have it."
Despite the allure of wine-yeast-created biofuel, Sherlock says there are still challenges. "I think it is possible that yeast strains derived from wine yeasts may at some point in the future be used for production of ethanol from green? plant material," he said. "But that is likely several years off, as the effect that we observed was very modest."
Automated Wine Dispensers - The way of the future?
Submitted by Lorenzo on Mon, 2010-07-19 10:33.South African retail needs to wake up to this possibility. Imagine introducing this system at all those new WW/PnP petrol? station mini-shops. Panos Kakaviatos (decanter.com) writes:
For the first time in the US, Pennsylvania shoppers are buying wine from automated wine kiosks.
The kiosks, two of which have been installed in the town of Harrisburg, hold up to 53 different wines under temperature-controlled conditions.
With some of the most stringent alcohol? purchasing laws in the US, Pennsylvania authorities require that the kiosks verify customer age before purchase.
Customers must? insert their ID to prove their age and a built-in breathalyzer takes instant readings.
'We take the safety of our consumers and the general public very seriously and firmly enforce a zero tolerance policy,' said Stacey Witalec of the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board.
'We want to ensure that those who are underage or intoxicated do not have access to the products in the kiosk.'
Until now in Pennsylvania, alcohol has been sold in state-owned wine and spirits shops under the authority of the state's liquor control board, but kiosks will be installed in regular supermarkets for customer convenience.
'Customers have responded favourably, embracing the opportunity to purchase their favourite wines while doing supermarket shopping,' Witalec told decanter.com.
'In just over two weeks, we have seen sales of nearly $22,000 with over 1,900 bottles purchased.'
The kiosk is still in a testing phase, at just two locations. 'We hope to roll out a total of 100 state wide starting in the early fall,' Witalec said.
Ornellaia sells for record $45,000
Submitted by Lorenzo on Wed, 2010-05-19 10:19.Jane Anson (decanter.com) writes:
A Salmanazar? of Tenuta? dell'Ornellaia 2007 has raised $45,000 for the Whitney Museum of American Art in an auction held by Sotheby's New York.
The auction – the second edition of the Vendemmia? D'Artista 'L'Armonia' organised by the Bolgheri estate? – raised a total of $167,000, with the proceeds going to the restoration and preservation of American works of modern art.
The auction comprised several large-format bottles autographed by the artists Ghada Amer and Reza Farkondeh.
It was part of a long-term project launched by the wine estate to recreate the Renaissance patronage of the arts.
The 9-litre (or 12 bottle) Salmanazar, with a hand-painted cloth label, sold for $45,000, or the equivalent of $3,750 per bottle - 20 times the wine's average price on the market.
In total, 23 large size bottles of 2007 Ornellaia were sold: One Salmanazar, four Imperials, and 18 Double Magnums.
They were part of 127 bottles with special labels created for the inaugral 2009 auction, and relate to an art installation at the winery? itself.
The four Imperials were sold for $47,000, while the entire Copper series (18 bottles) of the Double Magnums, sold for $75,000.
'We have a permanent art curator at Ornellaia, and together we choose artists whose work share characteristics with the year's vintage?,' Andrea Orsini at Ornellaia told decanter.com.
'Next year we will arrange the project Vendemmia d'Artista in Germany, but the details are not yet finalised.'
UK Wine Sales: Italy could overtake Australia
Submitted by Lorenzo on Tue, 2010-03-23 13:25.Hugo Rose (decanter.com) writes:
More Italian wines were shipped to the UK last year than French, and Italy could overtake Australia to take the number one spot by the end of 2010.
Figures released recently by the UK government show that, despite weak market conditions, imports of still wines? from Italy grew by 28% between 2008 and 2009 to take a 17.4% share of UK trade.
This represents more than one bottle in six. Italy has moved into second position behind Australia whose share of imports is 20.7%.
If the current rate of growth is maintained, Italy could take the number one spot within twelve months.
In cash terms Italian imports are already ahead of Australia, having grown in value by over 32% during the same period.
The biggest volume growth was in everyday red and rose wines, which recorded an uplift of 298,438 hls (87%).
In whites, imports grew by 220,705 hls (44%).
The sparkling wine? category including Prosecco recorded volume growth of 26,059 hls, a 79% rise.
UK import data is collected from importers by HM Customs & Revenue and published by its Uktradeinfo service.
Chianti Classico Divorce Papers Come Through
Submitted by Lorenzo on Wed, 2010-02-10 11:14.Kerin O'Keefe (decanter.com) writes:
The Chianti Classico? Consorzio? has confirmed that after 78 years of distancing itself from the Chianti denomination, the divorce is now final.
The Chianti Classico zone, the original central growing area for Chianti, was first delimited in 1716 by the Grand Duke of Tuscany.
It was relegated to mere subzone status in 1932 when the government divided the much expanded Chianti area into subzones.
Since then Chianti Classico, which produces among the best wines in Italy, has fought to distance itself from Chianti, winning its first battle for independence in 1996 when it became its own autonomous denomination.
A new ministerial decree goes even further, and bans any vineyards in the Classico zone from being used for Chianti or Chianti Superiore? production.
'This effectively cuts the umbilical cord that has continued to connect the two distinct denominations,' Giuseppe Liberatore, director of the Chianti Classico consorzio said.
Chianti Classico, whose producers can use the black rooster motif, also has a more rigid production code than Chianti, disallowing white grapes, which are permitted for Chianti.
Casanova di Neri avoids legal action in 'Brunellogate' scandal
Submitted by Lorenzo on Thu, 2009-12-17 08:47.John Abbott (decanter.com) writes:
Casanova di Neri has escaped legal action over the 'Brunellogate' scandal.
The winery? was informed of the decision in July, but requested additional official documentation before making a statement.
The document, issued by the Minister of Justice, confirms that no legal action has been taken against the winery.
Casanova di Neri was one of the seven wineries investigated as part of 'Operation Mixed Wine' over the alleged adulteration of wines produced in Montalcino and Chianti Classico? in 2003.
In a statement, estate? owner Giacomo Neri said Casanova di Neri had been 'removed from the list in the course of the investigations.'
'As one of the more important wineries in the zone, Casanova di Neri was checked and controlled by the required authorities.'
'We inform our clients that the wines of Casanova di Neri are even more guaranteed post-investigation than before, having completed the analyses that were requested by the authorities for the commercialistion of Brunello di Montalcino,' he said.
A spokesperson for Casanova di Neri said the winery will now continue its business operations as usual.
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Casanova Di Neri
Brunello di Montalcino
Brunello di Montalcino Cerretalto
Brunello di Montalcino "Tenuta Nuova"
Pietradonice Sant'Antimo Rosso DOC
Amarone Promoted to DOCG
Submitted by Lorenzo on Mon, 2009-12-07 14:37.David Furer (decanter.com) writes:
Amarone has been promoted to the highest possible quality level.
Italian DOCs Amarone della Valpolicella and Recioto? della Valpolicella have been promoted to the status of Denominazione Origine Controllata e Garantita (DOCG?) Italy's Agriculture Minister has announced.
DOCG is the highest quality level allowed by both Italy and the EU, with the move understood by many to be a step to define Amarone's status to its most important export market, the USA.
Carlo Boscaini, of his eponymous estate?, said 'it is unfortunate that it arrives after 15 years of battles between producers.'
Sabrina Tedeschi, too, has been waiting the promotion for many years saying that 'it is very important on for our economy as it is one of the best Italian wines sold abroad.'
She argued that this should be the first step in a review of the zone to define a limited area of hilly vineyards over flat vineyards as deserving of DOCG status.
Retroactive to the 2008 harvest, the move was preceded by the Ripasso? style? of Valpolicella receiving its own DOC?.
Giuseppe Rizzardi of Bardolino's Guerrieri Rizzardi celebrated the impact this measure would have upon diminshing the amount of fake Amarone sold on some export markets.
The National Wine Commission who approved the promotion, also dismissed the application for adjustment of DOC rules for Collio, Gorizia, Bivongi, Marino, and the IGT? Quistello.
US lifts government certification requirement for Brunello
Submitted by Lorenzo on Tue, 2009-10-27 11:52.Jeremy Parzen and Franco Ziliani (decanter.com) write:
The U.S. Alcohol?, Tobacco, Tax, and Trade Bureau (TTB) will no longer require Italian government certification for imports of Brunello di Montalcino to the U.S., Italy's agriculture ministry has announced.
A statement was published shortly after Italy's agriculture minister Luca Zaia met with TTB administrator John Manfreda in Washington D.C. last week.
The previous requirement for government certification was announced by U.S. authorities on 17 June 2008, in the wake of allegations that producers of Brunello di Montalcino had adulterated their wines by adding unauthorised grape varieties.
'I have obtained the definitive go-ahead for the importation of Brunello di Montalcino to the U.S.,' said minister Zaia in the statement.
'The case? is now definitively closed?.'
According to existing appellation? regulations, Brunello di Montalcino must? be produced using 100% Sangiovese grapes grown in Montalcino.
Although no arrests or indictments have been made by Italian authorities during the "Operation Mixed Wine" investigation, treasury department officials reported in July 2009 that 20% of the 6.7 million litres impounded in the inquiry was declassified from Brunello di Montalcino DOCG? to Toscana Rosso? IGT?.
Brunello is 'one of the wine ambassadors of 'Made in Italy' products,' Zaia said, and is now 'assured its presence in the American market.'
The meeting between minister Zaia and TTB head Manfreda was part of Zaia's week-long tour of the U.S. promoting authentic 'Made in Italy' agricultural products.
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