In an article disseminated today, Italian wine journalist Franco Ziliani has written that Italian authorities impounded 10,000 hectolitres of wine from one Brunello producer in mid-August. The producer is suspected of using 10-20% unauthorized grapes (i.e., not Sangiovese) in the wine. Read the brief but complete report here in Italian.
Though Franco names no names here, I imagine that there's a connection with the story published yesterday on VinoWire, in which a writer from La Nazione reported that tests proved that Banfi's Brunello "contains grapes other than Sangiovese." We are shocked. Shocked.
As a sign of the continuing turmoil and lack of transparency, the president of the Brunello consortium, Francesco Marone Cinzano, has tendered his resignation.
Several months ago this scandal was proclaimed to be over, even by people I respected and who should have known better. (Bad for Italy's image, bad for business, fearful of a long-distance besmirching effect on other wine regions.) I was surprised at their wilful blindness, and I stated that I was sure this scandal had legs. The culture of falsification and greed is far too entrenched to see a quick end to Brunellopoli.
Of course none of this is peculiar to Italy. We enjoy a similar political and business culture here. The way it's played out has been distinctively, operatically Italian. Note: Their media have been slightly less supine than America's.
A very good friend of my family makes a glorious a examples of sangiovese in Tuscany When I asked what he thought of the events in Montalcino. He smiled and said there is no problem, they just hired magicians.
Posted by: Danny | September 04, 2008 at 12:01 PM
Esatto!
Posted by: Strappo | September 04, 2008 at 12:06 PM
all because of the ALMIGHTY dollars...
Posted by: Ronald | September 05, 2008 at 09:38 AM
Well, almighty euros anyway.
I am happy to see the euro's down trend of course. Let it sink!
Posted by: Strappo | September 05, 2008 at 10:35 AM