WOOD CHIPS YES, WOOD CHIPS NO: WINENEWS INTERVIEWS PIERO MASTROBERARDINO, ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT ITALIAN WINE PRODUCERS - “IT IS A PRACTICE THAT SURELY DOES NOT REGARD QUALIFIED MADE IN ITALY PRODUCTION”

“Qualified Made in Italy production surely does not feel the need for wood chips, because they don’t represent a substitute practice to classic methods for finishing wine in wood barrels. Thus, this is a theme that does not “enthuse” me much, precisely because it does not pertain to me directly. As an entrepreneur I understand however that there can be wine sectors that are not strongly rooted in territory that can be inserted in a lower price category and where wood chips can therefore be useful in order to compete with foreigners who have used them for some time”.
These are the words of Piero Mastroberardino, one of the most important Italian wine producers (not to mention president of Federvini/Confindustria), who was interviewed by www.winenews.it. He spoke on the question of the use of oak chips, which has recently returned to discussions after the possibility of their use was analyzed during a council in Brussels on the management of wines. It will take about another three or four months, but then even European winemakers will be able to use oak chips as a substitute to barrels in order to “age” wine. A practice that has already come into use among most other competitors outside of Europe. The only uncertainty left to resolve now is the modification to be created by the Wto, which Europe has requested for norms regarding labeling these products. The 25 member Eu Commission has been discussing for months now how to resolve what has come to be considered unfair competition. For American, South African, South American, and other producers it is in fact legal to substitute the traditional ageing process in oak barrels with the use of oak chips added directly to the wine to create a product with the taste, smoothness, and aroma of aged wine.
The compromise that has been proposed foresees the introduction in Europe s well of this alternative enological practice, but with the possibility that each member state can decide in what categories this would be authorized to go in. Italy has indicated that it will allow this practice for table wines only and will prohibit it for Doc wines.
European wine producers and the Eu Commission have agreed to introduce the use of oak chips into European regulations, accepting the fact that it will not need to be specified on labels. One specification has been made however: wines that do use oak chips are not allowed to have “barrel aged” written on their labels. Within the next few months the definitive response from the Wto and the Eu will arrive.
According to Confagricoltura, “the proposed modification to Eu regulations, introducing the use of oak chips into wine production, will gravely damage wine producers who want to use traditional production techniques, or rather, those techniques that do not attribute “deceptive” characteristics to the product. This creates a very confusing situation for consumers and forces producers who use wood barrels to differentiate their bottles through extra indications on labels, with added costs in respect to those who use oak chips. The use of oak chips to age wine, without any transparent labeling deceives the consumer and harms the producers who are involved in maintaining traditional techniques like that of ageing wine in barrels”.
Cia (Confederation of Italian Cultivators) has been a bit more permissive in their response: “We are not opposed to this type of process but we ask that, before any definitive decision is made at a community level, that the Eu foresees a clear method of indication on labels specifying the ageing process used”. Even Città del Vino and Legambiente have taken a stance against the use of oak chips.
“The practice has long been permitted in the U.S. and now also Europe decides against tradition and the identity of European and Italian wines, causing confusion among consumers and risks causing a crisis for what remains of a centuries old artisan tradition, that of barrel making”.
Legambiente and Città del Vino have made an appeal to the new Italian government asking that they ban this practice that has nothing to do with the Italian wine tradition.