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“I don’t think that zonation will resolve the problems of identity of Chianti Classico”.

Francesco Gioffreda, owner of Borgo Casa al Vento, a winery in the hills of Gaiole in Chianti, near the village of Barbischio, expresses doubts about the idea of identifying wine bottles with their production areas.

Gioffreda explains: “Mine is a point of view of the small producer. Like me, there are many of us in the Consortium of Chianti Classico wine”.

He then touches a sore spot: “When we speak about Chianti Classico, we find ourselves facing an embarrassing problem of poor information. Too few consumers know the difference between Chianti Classico and Chianti”.

“Above all” he remarks, introducing a theme which is dear to him, “there is marked distance between small and large producers. Even more serious is the overlap between bottlers and producers. In conclusion, there are too many of us and we are too different to share the same hat. And who, more then small producers, will suffer from this partnership?”.

From here results what he defines “my provocation”, or the proposal “to create a consortium of Chianti Classico limited to the artisans of wine. Let’s give a maximum ceiling of hectares (let’s say, 15), and let the large producers enjoy their undisputed fame and popularity”.

“It is we small producers,” he claims, “who need a consortium. And in order for a consortium to have meaning for promotion, it should address those who need to make themselves known and not those who are already known. Otherwise, the long shadow of the large producers, also regarding the level of price policy, will continue to obscure the small producers”.

Matteo Pucci

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