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June 09, 2008
Fraud Investigation for Wine Suffered by Italy’s Vino Nobile di Montepulciano
Regional wine officials confirmed Friday that Vino Nobile di Montepulciano is the latest Italian denomination under scrutiny in a widening wine fraud investigation currently sweeping across Tuscany. Some 120,000 hectoliters (3.2 million gallons) of 2004 Vino Nobile di Montepulciano from the Vecchia Cantina cooperative have been impounded by Italy’s fraud police, the Guardia di Finanza, and at least two people have been named in the investigation.
The news comes on the heels of a massive wine fraud investigation in neighboring Montalcino. In April, it was revealed that one million bottles of 2003 Brunello di Montalcino had been confiscated at the wineries of four of the region’s most prominent producers including Castello Banfi, Antinori and Frescobaldi. There is wide speculation that up to one dozen additional producers are under investigation (beyond the four known publicly) in Montalcino although this has not been officially confirmed.
Confusion regarding the current state of affairs prompted United States authorities to ban all Brunello seeking importation starting June 23rd if the wine is not accompanied by a certificate of authenticity issued by Italian authorities guaranteeing that each and every bottle contains 100 percent Sangiovese. The wineries under investigation are being accused of letting foreign grapes – Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and others – find their way illegally into Brunello di Montalcino.
At the beginning of June, the Consorzio del Vino Brunello di Montalcino set up a special “Board of Guarantee” to address the problem and devise a system of checks and controls in light of the impending U.S. embargo.
“We await the results of the investigation with confidence,” said Vino Nobile producer Luca Gattavecchi who was named in the latest investigation and who is also president of the Consorzio Vino Nobile di Montepulciano.
“I’m not surprised by this. We have known that Tuscan wines have been under the microscope for months. These investigations are being conducted in the interest of the consumer but also in the interest of producers who are particularly attentive to the purity of our wine,” he said.
The rules governing Sangiovese-based Vino Nobile allow for 20 percent complimentary varieties. Initial reports suggest that grapes sourced from outside the Montepulciano winegrowing zone may have illegally been used as blending material.
Founded in 1937, Vecchia Cantina is the oldest winemaking cooperative in Tuscany. It has 400 winegrowing partners who represent 2,500 acres of vines in the Montepulciano area.
Source: “Italy’s Vino Nobile di Montepulciano Under Investigation for Wine Fraud,” Monica Larner, Wine Enthusiast: June 9, 2008
Posted by fortna at June 9, 2008 08:34 PM
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