“EUROPE OPENS UP TO BLENDS FROM DIFFERENT COUNTRIES”. AND COLDIRETTI LAUNCHES THE ALARM: “THE IDEA MUST BE OPPOSED”

The European Union has opened its doors to the blends obtained from grapes with origins from various different EU countries. And the Italian agricultural union, Coldiretti, has launched an alarm. It has revealed how the latest proposal for EU regulations proposes the possibility of labeling wines with the generic term “European wine”, which could also be used to camouflage, under the label of noted names in wine from a specific country, wines that actually come from other countries. “In substance” – noted Coldiretti – “it makes it possible to import low cost bulk wine from other countries less known for their wine production and then mix it with the national wine in order to sell it under ‘Made in Italy’ names, possibly even putting the name of a noted vineyard largely evidenced on the label that recalls a famed territorial production as could be predicted by the recent common market organization reform”.

It is an obvious trick that points towards the homogenization towards the bottom and must be forcefully contrasted by Italy where, after a long road has been taken towards qualitative valorization, the new challenge for enterprises is that of exalting the differences and presenting not only wines but an entire territory made up of the genetic patrimony of its vineyards during commercial exchanges, its endogenous wealth, its climate, the landscape, the artistic and natural testimonies.