DOCG for Amarone and Recioto della Valpolicella Wines
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The decree awarding the Denominazione d'Origine Controllata e Garantita (DOCG, or Denomination of Origin Controlled and Guaranteed) has been approved for two traditional trademark wines from the Veneto region. From now on the bottles of Amarone and Recioto della Valpollicella wines will bear the DOCG certification on the labels.
On March 24, 2010 the fervent desire of the Venetian producers who have been committed for the last 15 years to obtaining the certification upgrade for these two traditional wines were finally satisfied. From now on, the wines produced by the over 1,800 vitivinicultural estates associated to the Consorzio per la Tutela dei Vini della Valpolicella (Consortium for the Protection of the Valpolicella Wines), along with the 152 bottling facilities, which include the five coops of Negrar, Soave, Monteforte d'Alpone, Valpantena and San Pietro in Cariano as well, will bear the new denomination. This will further guarantee the identity and characteristics of these two products.
"We can finally say that the perseverance of these past years has been rewarded," commented the president of the Consorzio di Tutela, Luca Sartori. "In order to add this 'G' to the DOC denomination we worked hard, on the technical front as well as on the PR front. Former Minister of Agriculture, Luca Zaia, believed in the importance that this project had for us and the region and was of great help."
The production area of the new DOCG is fairly large, as it includes the Valpolicella DOC area, which extends over 19 municipalities, five of which are within the 'zona classica' (Marano, Fumane, Negrar, Sant'Ambrogio, San Pietro in Cariano, or the municipalities where the Valpolicella Classico is produced). The remaining 14 municipalities, Dolcè, Verona, San Martino Buon Albergo, Lavagno, Mezzane, Tregnago, Illasi, Colognola ai Colli, Cazzano di Tramigna, Grezzana, Pescantina, Cerro Veronese, San Mauro di Saline and Montecchia di Crosara are dedicated to the regular Valpolicella DOC wine.
During the five years from 2003 to 2008, the production area increased about 10%, from 5,600 hectares (around 13,838 acres) in 2003 to 6,200 hectares (about 15,320 acres) in 2008. In the same period the potential productivity increased about 9%, from 68,000 metric tons of grapes in 2003, to close to 75,000 metric tons in 2008.
In 2009, some 9 million bottles of Amarone were produced, for an estimated value of 108 million Euros (calculate current value in other currencies), while in the same period only 400,000 bottles of the niche dessert wine Recioto della Valpolicella, valued at around 5.6 million Euros (calculate current value in other currencies), where produced. In 2009, 40 million bottles of Valpolicella, Classico and non, were produced, for an estimated value of 76 million Euros (calculate current value in other currencies).
"The market is hungry for quality [products], but shy away because of the price," added Sartori. Because of this, it was decided to reduce the amount of grapes withered for the production of Amarone and Recioto of about 30% compared to the previous production rules. "[This is] and expensive production," said Sartori, emphasizing the fact that the decision to reduce the inventory was made to avoid having prices fall.
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