Quality, lower Brunello production, growth on Rosso: the future of Montalcino according to Bindocci

“Our territory, fortunately for everyone, has always been in excellent health, the producers are good, we are on the markets all over the world, the outgoing board of directors (led by Patrizio Cencioni) has worked well and left everything in order. We are among the most important Italian denominations, we should not give up, the world looks at us, our products must always be at the top. Surely we have to produce less, but we have to produce always and anyway high-quality wines, everyone has to understand this. Quality is fundamental and consumers are increasingly demanding, those who drink Brunello in the world are attentive consumers who know the wine. We have to be up to the task and one step ahead of others”. Word of Fabrizio Bindocci, CEO of Poggione, one of the historic wineries in the area, re-elected to lead the Consortium of Brunello di Montalcino, which protects one of the most important denominations in Italy, which will lead the board of directors in office until 2021, with the three vice-presidents, Giacomo Bartolommei (28 years old, Caprili) with delegation to the Budget, Stefano Cinelli (63 years old, Fattoria dei Barbi) who will lead the Institutional Relations Commission and Riccardo Talenti (40 years old, Talenti) who will lead the Promotion Commission, while Elisa Fanti of Tenuta Fanti will be the head of the Technical Commission. A mix of large and small wineries that, Bindocci underlines, “has always been one of the great forces of the territory, and I say this after 43 vintages. Large and small producers have always been a team, since the denomination was born in 1965, when the owner of Poggione, a large company, Leopoldo Franceschi, who was the first president of the Consortium, spoke with Baricci, Cencioni, Bartolommei, Pacenti, small producers. Teamwork is that, one is complementary to the other, the strength has been to move forward with the little ones together with the big ones. The proof was that in the last elections in the board there are large wineries such as Banfi, Castelgiocondo, Marchesi Antinori, Fattoria dei Barbi, along with other small as Caprili, Talenti, Cortonesi, to mention a few, demonstrating that if we want to win we must play together, united, with the same desire: to continue to keep the name great, and to spread our wines throughout the world”.
The world that is the natural market of the territory, which, in 2018, produced 8 million bottles of Brunello di Montalcino and 4.5 million Rosso di Montalcino, for a turnover that amounts to 160 million euros, 70% export, USA in the lead.
“The international market has always been the market for Brunello, we talk about 70% of the denomination, but there are companies that reach 85-90%. The Italian market is difficult, not only because of the competition but also because of the difficulties of cash in. We must work, the numbers are those for years, the production is that and no one wants to expand the vineyard: since 2007 we have made a prudent policy not to increase production but to increase quality, the 8-9 million bottles of Brunello di Montalcino, depending on the year, are the maximum that the designation can produce. While surely there would be the possibility of a growth on Rosso di Montalcino, which is not the poor brother of Brunello, but a beautiful wine, easier to approach, and we have seen over the years that it helps to open new markets for Brunello too. We should implement the production and sale, perhaps lower the production of Brunello, but we need time to build teamwork and commit to helping the producers of Montalcino”.
A wine that is successful in the world, Brunello di Montalcino, but strongly tied to its territory. In support of which was recently born the “Fondazione Territoriale Brunello di Montalcino”, which Bindocci himself led in the first steps: “the Foundation was created with the aim of doing what the Consortium cannot do, that is to invest resources in things that are not specific to the Consortium’s activities, such as the denomination, the brand and so on, as required by the statute”. Even Montalcino, despite being a rich territory, has situations that need support. And the Montalcino producers must remember this. We are a rich denomination, in 60 years Montalcino, which was the poorest municipality in the territory, has completely changed thanks to “San Brunello” - says Bindocci - and producers must “rummage in the pocket”. The Foundation (whose membership is obviously voluntary, ed) is the subject who must help areas, people and activities that need it, such as schools, the hospital and so on. And he asks for modest figures. However, many small figures put together to become a treasure that can help those in need, moreover with figures that do not change the company’s balance sheet”.