ITALY’S LEADERS WORKING HARD TO DEFEND BRUNELLO’S REPUTATION ON THE U.S. MARKET, WHICH CURRENTLY CONSUMES 25% OF BRUNELLO PRODUCTION

The Italian Embassy in the United States, and more specifically, the Italian Ambassador Giovanni Castellaneta, are following the Brunello vicissitude with great attention and in tight accord with the Italian Ministry of Agriculture and the Brunello Consortium. This was recently noted by the institution’s spokesperson, Luca Ferrari after confirming the existence of the U.S. Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) letter that has threatened to block the importation of Brunello di Montalcino to the U.S. if the accusations of falsified Brunello are not clarified.

A mission of the American agency was immediately organized by the commercial offices headed by Stefano Beltrame and functionaries will be arriving shortly at the capital of Brunello, Montalcino. “We are convinced that the contacts that they will have in Italy will serve to clarify any doubts”, said spokesperson Ferrari.

“We are working” – explained the Brunello di Montalcino Consortium President, Francesco Marone Cinzano – “to reach an understanding that guarantees rapid information and eventual confidentialities whenever judicial investigations are being made on one or more Italian producers”. Cinzano also clarified that, “the TTB letter is only a correspondence between Italy and the U.S. in a negotiating phase”.

According to this still hypothetical blocking of Brunello imports to the U.S., starting June 9, 2008 this wine will have to be accompanied by a certification that can attest that the production disciplines have been respected (which means they must have laboratory tests that can certify the wine is made with 100% Sangiovese grapes).

President Cinzano concluded by noting that, “the Italian Ambassador to the U.S. and our Ministry of Agriculture are negotiating with U.S. authorities in order to reach an agreement”.

The Italian farmers association, Coldiretti, sustains that, “The conditions to overcome the current phase of uncertainty are transparency and returning tranquility to operators and consumers by avoiding the damage of image in a sector that holds a leading role for the entire ‘Made in Italy’ name both in Italy and abroad. The rapidity of the investigations by the magistrate is the best antidote for closing the doors on the culture of suspicion of a product that represents a patrimony of image and reputation for the Italian system”.

Another agricultural institution in Italy, Confagricoltura, remarked that the proposed blocking of Brunello imports, “is the inevitable consequence of confused communications and the misrepresenting of facts that has strongly compromised the image of Italian wine abroad and which now risks causing enormous economic damage to our producers”.

“The U.S. Embassy” – continued Confagricoltura – “has, in fact, officially asked Italian representatives in Washington to identify precisely the names of the producers, the brands, and the vintages that are under investigation. Otherwise, steps will be made to block the certificates of approval for labels (Cola) for all Brunello producing companies”.
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In hopes that a preliminary understanding between the two governments will dissolve the problem, it is now necessary, according to Confagricoltura, that investigations take their course in order to allow Brunello producers the possibility to return to working and selling that which is one of Italy’s top market products. And, with 25% of total Brunello production going to the U.S., this market, in particular, represents the largest share of the 62% of total Brunello production that is shipped abroad. Brunello earnings in 2007, in fact, reached 120 million euros. Total production for DOCG Brunello di Montalcino is about 7 million bottles, and Rosso di Montalcino reaches 5 million bottles.