{"id":8465,"date":"2021-04-15T04:55:34","date_gmt":"2021-04-15T08:55:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wine365.com\/?p=8465"},"modified":"2021-04-14T17:31:49","modified_gmt":"2021-04-14T21:31:49","slug":"brunello-classico-great-divide","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wine365.com\/stage\/brunello-classico-great-divide\/","title":{"rendered":"The Great Divide: Will There Be a Brunello Classico?"},"content":{"rendered":"

In and around the quiet village of\u00a0Montalcino, there is a subtle undercurrent of discussion in trattorie<\/em>, bars and\u00a0enoteche<\/em>. You often hear it whispered in hushed tones and quieted sentiments of \u201cyou didn\u2019t hear it from me,\u201d but it\u2019s hanging around like the 800-pound cinghiale<\/em> in the room. There is a\u00a0rising discourse\u00a0to divide the Brunello zone into several separate sub-zones<\/strong>, and depending upon who you speak to, this would be the best thing in the last 30 years for Brunello\u2014or an unmitigated disaster in waiting. In short, producers are divided over division.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

I have visited Montalcino\u00a0countless times in the past and have had many opportunities to raise the issue with\u00a0winemakers. But let\u2019s step back for a moment. What exactly is<\/em> the issue? Why are we even talking about sub-zoning, or \u201csub-zonazione\u201d as the Italians refer to it?<\/p>\n

The following sections include various comments from numerous winemakers. Due to the delicate nature of the discussion, I have not included their identities.<\/p>\n

The Background: Sub-zoning for Style along the North-South Divide<\/h2>\n

The Brunello Zone extends over 24,000 hectares, of which a mere 2,100 are under vine. As a reference, 24,000 hectares is about 100 square miles, or just slightly larger than three times the size of the island of Manhattan.<\/p>\n

The highest elevation in the zone is\u00a0principally centered around the village of Montalcino<\/strong> itself. The wines produced closer\u00a0to this area are\u00a0naturally stylistically different<\/strong>\u00a0from those produced in other parts of the zone.<\/p>\n

\"Montalcino\"
Montalcino. Photo by Giovanni, Flickr CC<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Many producers argue that this is\u00a0the first reason to promote\u00a0sub-zoning.<\/strong>\u00a0Further, it\u2019s argued that it would help consumers understand the subtle differences between the many wine styles and allow delineated subzones to become associated with certain styles of Brunello. In this fashion, the consumer would know what to expect when selecting a wine.<\/strong><\/p>\n

But as an educated writer and consumer, I\u2019m not convinced.<\/p>\n

One winemaker told me of a completely different, non-consumer-related reason to support sub-zoning. His family winery is a small estate with only a few acres of vineyards. Direct-to-consumer, so called \u201cCellar Door\u201d sales, are crucial to his survival. Any sub-zoning project would also come with a detailed, government-funded, Consorzio-sponsored mapping of the entire zone. \u201cWith wineries accurately identified on a map, consumers will be better able to locate small wineries. The area is vast and confusing, even the locals get lost.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

These may be the obvious reasons to sub-zone or they may be the hidden red herrings. Like many debates, there is also an undercurrent of politics<\/strong> that permeates the discussion. There\u2019s a North-South divide<\/strong> that is somehow manifested in a debate over styles. Many of the original Brunello producers are located very close to\u00a0the center of Montalcino. They have a sense\u00a0of pride, of purpose, that the Brunello they create is the\u00a0original.<\/strong> That their wines are\u00a0\u201ctrue\u201d Brunello. But is that accurate and will it really assist consumers? \u00a0Let\u2019s look\u00a0at\u00a0Brunello\u2019s\u00a0northerly sibling, the Chianti zone, for an analogy about the veracity of the supposition.<\/p>\n

The Precursor: But\u2026Chianti Classico does it!<\/h2>\n

The Chianti DOCG is a large parcel of land that encompasses six separate sub-zones.\u00a0In essence, it\u2019s what Brunello is using as a general\u00a0model.<\/strong> Within the center of Chianti is the delimited \u201cClassico\u201d\u00a0zone. Over the years, the\u00a0\u201cClassico\u201d designation<\/strong> has been important for the brand and for the wines bearing the zone’s name. It\u2019s a geographic area that has been denoted as an exceptional place to produce Chianti because the soil, climate, and exposition of the vineyards are thought to be ideal. In short, perfect terroir<\/em>.<\/p>\n

If that were the end of the equation, then such a designation would be very meaningful. However, when you factor in variables like human intervention (when to harvest) vineyard management (pruning, green harvesting, canopy management) winemaking styles (cement, stainless steel, French barrique<\/em>, large casks, new oak, used oak) and not least of which, the grapes in the blend (100% Sangiovese or blends including Canaiolo, Malvasia Nera, Colorino, or even Merlot and Cabernet), then what does \u201cClassico\u201d mean?\u00a0The\u00a0average consumer will typically have no idea about any of this because none of it is required to be disclosed on labels<\/strong>. It\u2019s simply a matter of knowledge. Wine geeks know. The average consumer doesn\u2019t.\u00a0Does the average consumer differentiate the Chianti Classico wines\u00a0among the\u00a0six other\u00a0subzones of Chianti? Ask around in your local wine shop and you\u2019ll quickly see.<\/p>\n

The Proposal: Brunello \u201cClassico\u201d<\/h2>\n

But let\u2019s get back to Brunello. With the exception of the blending issue, Brunello by law must be 100% Sangiovese, all the other variables that exist for Chianti will exist in sub-zoning Brunello. And\u00a0dirt is just the start! Recently, a group of independent producers\u00a0mapped the various soil types that exist in Brunello and they\u2019ve come up with eight distinct but broad categories \u2013 many of which are combinations of each other. Now factor in altitudes, varying clones of Sangiovese, and the way they behave and grow in different soils, and you\u2019ve just scratched the surface.<\/p>\n

It has been suggested that the creation of a \u201cBrunello Classico\u201d area\u2014wines coming from the center of the zone near the town of Montalcino\u2014might be the first step in a broader sub-zoning project.<\/strong> One look at the Chianti Classico analogy should be enough to convince them of the folly in that. (Read my other article, Debunking Gran Selezione<\/a>, for a glimpse at those complexities.)<\/p>\n

\"Montalcino
Montalcino. Photo by Pug Girl, Flickr CC<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

What Do Brunello Producers Say?<\/h2>\n

The more I spoke to winemakers, the more I heard about highlighting the differences of the terroir<\/em><\/strong>. It\u2019s a\u00a0valid point. I sat down over a glass of Brunello\u00a0with one such venerable producer.<\/p>\n

Q. I first asked him straight away, is your estate in favor of sub-dividing the zone<\/strong>?<\/p>\n

A. \u201cYes, very much in favor of starting the work on this long overdue subject of recognizing the great many differences between the vineyards of Montalcino. The facts speak for themselves,\u201d he told me. \u201cThe height over sea level of the Montalcino vineyards goes from 300 feet to over 1,800 feet. The soil conditions vary from sandy former seabeds rich in fossils to heavy clay. The climatic conditions go from dry Mediterranean, very much influenced by coastal winds, to Continental with morning fog. As an example, you can take the official Consorzio data at harvest from October 1, 2015. In the Canalicchio Zone, Sangiovese was still below 12.5% alcohol\u2014still a couple of weeks from picking\u2014while in Tavernelle, the alcohol was at 14% and quite ready for harvest.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Through
View of Brunello vineyards at Tenute Silvio Nardi<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Q. So then, what is the most important reason for sub-zoning<\/strong>? Is it quality, clarity of message or something else all-together?<\/p>\n

A. \u201cIt\u2019s mostly recognizing the reality and bringing all the producers together behind a common product; informing consumers as to the great diversity that can be found in Montalcino. And when I say recognizing the reality, I also refer to the rule in the disciplinare<\/em> [regulations] of Brunello that allows producers to name their Brunello after the vineyard where it is produced. The \u2018Vigna<\/em>\u2019 denomination recognizes single vineyards and is really a starting point of zoning.\u201d<\/p>\n

Q. So what\u2019s the problem then? What\u2019s standing in the way of making this happen?\u00a0\u00a0Is there resistance from wineries that fear that as a result of sub-zoning, they\u2019ll be looked upon as a \u201clesser\u201d\u00a0Brunello if they\u2019re in a \u201clesser\u201d zone?<\/strong><\/p>\n

A. \u201cGiovanni, I think it\u2019s ignorance mostly, along with prejudice and politics<\/strong>. Concerning lesser zones, it is common knowledge in Montalcino that the heavier soils of the northeast are considered more difficult from an agronomic point of view. Well, that is the area where Casanova di Neri is located and his wine had the highest-ever rating for a Brunello. There is no lesser zone in Montalcino.\u201d<\/p>\n

Many other producers agreed with that sentiment. They recognize the issue is important and needs to be resolved. However, this gentleman stopped short of a full-throated desire to see sub-zoning become reality.\u00a0\u201cWe are members of the Consorzio del Brunello di Montalcino, and the Consorzio is to start a study<\/strong> comparing composition of different soils to different altitudes, longitudes, and latitudes in order to map the whole area of the hill of Montalcino. A study that in our opinion will give a definitive view of sub-zoning.\u201d<\/p>\n

Not everyone necessarily agrees. Many winemakers view the issue as very complex and wondered if it could be resolved in a manner that would assist or confuse the consumer<\/strong>.\u00a0\u201cMontalcino terroir is so diverse that almost every producer could make realistic claims to be in a separate subzone. The possible micro-terroirs that have been outlined still lump together some\u00a0very different areas and don\u2019t fully consider the effects of altitude. And then there are the producers like us and many others who blend wine from different subzones. So really the situation is more complex than it would seem at first. In the end, I am not sure that subzones on labels would be ultimately helpful for consumers or producers.\u201d<\/p>\n

A Blended Terroir<\/h2>\n

The issue of producers who own vineyards scattered throughout the zone<\/strong> cannot be underestimated when they ultimately blend all of their fruit to produce one wine. In fact, many producers prefer to blend fruit in this manner because it gives a wine that is more representative of the overall Brunello terroir.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor a perfect example of how sub-zoning might fall short of the desired expectations, think about the 2009 vintage in Brunello. Don\u2019t you think that this is a year where the human decisions\u2014canopy management, harvest timing, fruit thinning, green harvesting, etc. \u2014totally influenced the quality of the wine? Good 2009 Brunellos are spread across all the proposed subzones. So yes, they definitely exist and we have tangible proof of terroir at every turn. However, I do believe that the market confusion would likely be enormous.\u201d<\/p>\n

Perhaps one of the most significant issues of all, that no one seemed to mention, is that Brunello is an international brand.<\/strong> Consumers the world over want a certain degree of expectation to be realized when they buy a bottle of \u201cBrunello di Montalcino.\u201d From China to the United States and at all points between, the Brunello brand is a significant asset that should not be risked by creating a myriad of identities that consumers will need to understand.<\/p>\n

Unofficial Zones<\/h2>\n

The following map, published by the Consorzio, gives a certain insight to the varying altitudes within the zone and illustrates how the zone might be bifurcated during any sub-zoning project.<\/p>\n

\"Brunello<\/p>\n

On the right side of the map, the Consorzio has broadly marked \u201cNorthern,\u201d \u201cCentral,\u201d and \u201cSouthern\u201d as a potential starting point for zoning. Within that framework are the loosely discussed zones that are most often mentioned:\u00a0 Montalcino \u2013 Bosco \u2013 Canalicchio \u2013 Tavernelle \u2013 Camigliano \u2013 Sant\u2019Angelo \u2013 Castelnuovo dell\u2019Abate.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s easy to\u00a0imagine how difficult it\u00a0may be for a winery to label their Brunello\u00a0if they own vineyards in two or three suggested sub-zones.\u00a0Which do they choose?\u00a0It\u2019s\u00a0conversely\u00a0very easy\u00a0to imagine the trepidation a producer may feel by being<\/strong> forced to label their wine simply as \u201cBrunello\u201d when others are seemingly using more prestigious wording on their labels<\/strong> solely because their vineyards are located in only one zone. Is that fair? Does it matter?\u00a0 Ultimately, it\u2019s up to the wineries to communicate effectively with their consumers.<\/p>\n

Finally, the head winemaker from one of Montalcino\u2019s largest producers\u00a0told me simply:<\/p>\n

\u201cEven within single parts of a smaller\u00a0area,\u00a0the portion of a vineyard that sits\u00a0at a slightly lower\u00a0altitude\u00a0will\u00a0give\u00a0wines\u00a0of deeper color\u00a0that are\u00a0richer in tannins than wines made from grapes from higher altitudes. Furthermore, you have to\u00a0realize that\u00a0a large number of producers are deliberately blending Brunello wines from different zones and varying altitudes. The reason for this is\u00a0obvious. In this way, they obtain more complete Brunellos than if they used grapes from a single zone only.\u201d<\/p>\n

So Where Does This Leave Us?<\/h2>\n

I suggest that\u00a0it\u2019s a matter that must be addressed by the Consorzio. There has to be a degree of leadership and initiative in moving the process forward; even if it comes with bruised egos and a degree of criticism\u00a0from its members that is all but certain.<\/p>\n

The data clearly supports the notion that microclimates exist all over the zone.<\/strong> Whether it\u2019s from\u00a0altitude, soil, exposition, or vine clone ultimately doesn\u2019t matter. What matters most is the value of sub-zoning to Brunello. Will undertaking this complex project add a commensurate level of value to the brand that is worth the effort?\u00a0Or will it hurt the brand by adding confusion and creating a sense of apathy among consumers?<\/p>\n

Perhaps the Consorzio should\u00a0answer those questions first. Instead of debating\u00a0the how, when, and\u00a0why to implement sub-zoning, they should be asking:\u00a0Should<\/em>\u00a0we be doing it?<\/strong> I suspect the answer to that has more\u00a0variations than the subzones being proposed.<\/p>\n

Finally,\u00a0one Brunello producer provided a unique perspective on the entire discussion. He told me\u2026\u2026<\/p>\n

\u201cItalians typically don\u2019t want to lead. They want to be led. In this fashion, they are free to criticize the leader.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Montalcino\"
Montalcino. Photo by Paul Needham, Flickr CC<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

In and around the quiet village of\u00a0Montalcino, there is a subtle undercurrent of discussion in trattorie, bars and\u00a0enoteche. You often hear it whispered in hushed tones and quieted sentiments of \u201cyou didn\u2019t hear it from me,\u201d but it\u2019s hanging around like the 800-pound cinghiale in the room. There is a\u00a0rising discourse\u00a0to divide the Brunello zone<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":9402,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[26,105],"tags":[259,34,29,126],"class_list":{"0":"post-8465","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-advanced-wine-knowledge","8":"category-wine-regions","9":"tag-brunello-di-montalcino","10":"tag-italian-wine","11":"tag-italy","12":"tag-wine-regions"},"yoast_head":"\nThe Great Divide: Will There Be a Brunello Classico? - Wine 365<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"noindex, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"The Great Divide: Will There Be a Brunello Classico? - Wine 365\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"In and around the quiet village of\u00a0Montalcino, there is a subtle undercurrent of discussion in trattorie, bars and\u00a0enoteche. You often hear it whispered in hushed tones and quieted sentiments of \u201cyou didn\u2019t hear it from me,\u201d but it\u2019s hanging around like the 800-pound cinghiale in the room. 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You often hear it whispered in hushed tones and quieted sentiments of \u201cyou didn\u2019t hear it from me,\u201d but it\u2019s hanging around like the 800-pound cinghiale in the room. 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