The U.S Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) which has the federal authority to approve labels of all imported wines had blocked shipments of all wines from St.-Emilion and Montepulciano.
Whereas the Montepulciano issue was more complex due to the alleged fraudulent usage of grapes from Sicily, St.-Emilion got victimized only because of the ongoing dispute over the 2006 re-classification. Last month a Bordeaux court had struck down the 2006 classification of Grand Cru Classé and Premier Cru Classé wineries, ruling that the rating process was biased.
A week later, the French government had temporarily restored the 1996 classification until a new ranking could be decided but eight châteaux promoted in 2006 objected. This left the producers confused on whether they should put labels according to the new ranking or the old system or without any ranking.
Having learnt a lesson from the apparent mishandling of Brunello case where the authorities were tardy in replying to the TTB, French government shot out a letter fast, clarifying the problem with a list of the eight châteaux who should not be allowed to list their rankings on the 2006 vintage to be released soon.
The owners of the affected châteaux are not pleased with the decision. But most are unhappy with the French bureaucratic system rather than the US procedures. Good producers have been penalized in favour of the bad ones, according to these chateaux owners.
Meanwhile Alain Moueix, President of the St.-Emilion Grand Cru Classé Association sees no hope of resolving the issue soon. A new classification needs to be established, but if the châteaux promoted in 2006 are left out. legal complications will certainly arise, he feels. |