THE MONTEFALCO CONSORTIUM ANNOUNCES IMPORTANT CHANGES IN WINEMAKING REGULATIONS
July 2016, Italian Ministry of Agriculture
The 2016 harvest will bring with it new bottling and blending opportunities, as well as a wine with a brand new name
Authenticity and territorial recognition have always been the key elements for the promotion of the distinct and unmistakable wines from Montefalco. An important turning point in the regulation of the indigenous white wines from Montefalco has been achieved recently, and Grechetto will now be referred to as an indigenous white wine from the “green heart” of Italy. Beginning with the 2016 harvest, the autochthonous white variety, one of the most popular in Umbria, will officially become Montefalco Grechetto, enjoying the brand recognition of a region that is becoming increasingly popular for its distinctive wines.
There are also some important and welcome changes in the composition of Montefalco Bianco DOC, which previously had to be made up of 20-30% of Trebbiano Toscano, a grape not known to produce wines of great note. Trebbiano Spoletino, an indigenous Umbrian variety of Trebbiano known to be of superior quality as compared to other Trebbianos, can now be used instead of Trebbiano Toscano.
Montefalco Rosso DOC and Montefalco Rosso Riserva will also be affected by changes that modify the composition of the wines. It will no longer be mandatory to use a third red grape in addition to Sangiovese and Sagrantino, in order to give producers the opportunity to focus more on the expression of the territory than on the blend.
Along with the rules regulating vinification and mandatory aging, the bottling process must now take place within the territory of the municipality of Montefalco and part of the municipalities of Bevagna, Gualdo Cattaneo, Castel Ritaldi and Giano dell Umbria in the region Perugia area. This measure has been introduced to safeguard the quality and reputation of Montefalco DOC wines, to guarantee their origin and to give to the consumers around the world a guaranteed consistency of quality and taste.
Read our reviews of Sagrantino wines here:
http://planetgrapewinereview.com/?s=sagrantino
and an article we wrote published in The SOMM Journal:
http://planetgrapewinereview.com/the-monks-elixir-unique-sagrantino-docg-is-ripe-for-discovery/
