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The decision was prompted by the general state of the wine industry rather than anything specific in the region which is trying this experiment for the first time. Many wineries produce Riserva versions of the Classico which need two more years of aging; these wines will not be affected.
Chianti Classico wines are made with primarily Sangiovese wines in the specified area of the Chianti Classico region who rightly believe that the quality in this region is premium and thus enjoy premium over ordinary Chianti.
Chianti isn't the first region to have this idea. Earlier in April, one of the biggest Champagne producers called for a major reduction in harvest though no notification has been issued by CIVC, the member producer association. During a visit to Piemonte a couple of months ago several Barolo producers had indicated to delWine that they will not cut back in production but will also not reduce prices, thus anticipating a sales drop. The wine stocks in the cellars may increase but hopefully they can be liquidated due to higher demand at that time.
The idea to cut production was mooted to avoid speculation after bulk prices for Chianti Classico fell heavily during 2008 and early 2009. 'It's a tentative attempt to avoid speculation in a period which is difficult for the whole of wine sector and not only for our appellation,' said a spokesperson for the Consorzio, according to Decanter. 'It's difficult to foresee the real impact on the market, but we will see.'
Chianti Classico has recently been hit by falling sales in key markets like the US. But the Consorzio spokesperson said there were some signs of a recovery, with producers reporting new orders from the US, Asia and some European countries. |