The results of the investigation into the Brunello scandal have been released, with 1.3 million litres of Brunello di Montalcino declassified from DOCG (Denominazione di Origine Controllata Garantita) to IGT (Indicazione Geografica Tipica).
In a more positive move, 5.4 million litres have been confirmed as conforming to the classification and hence have been released. The Brunello discipline rules that any wine bearing the Brunello di Montalcino name and the DOCG classification must be 100% sangiovese, with the original confiscation of the wine occurring due to accusations that varieties other than sangiovese had been used.
The original claim was made that the wine was modified to meet international, particularly US tastes, reducing the tannic nature of the sangiovese grape. Some high profile companies were involved, including names such as Antinori, Banfi, Frescobaldi and Argiano; and after a vote not to change the discpline, keeping the 100% sangiovese rule, charges to be laid are mostly of commercial fraud.
The other discplines of the area, including Rosso di Montalcino DOC and Chianti DOCG, also came under scrutiny, with the investigation involving the vintages from 2003 to 2007. 500,000 litres of Rosso di Montalcino have been de-classified to IGT and 150,000 litres of Chianti have also ben de-classified. 100,000 litres of IGT Toscana Rosso have been de-classified and are now destined to be distilled.
Source | Il Sole 24 Ore
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