Wine seizure in San Gimignano

San Gimignano has become the latest Tuscan appellation to hit the headlines after the equivalent of 4,000 bottles of red wine were confiscated by the authorities.

According to the Consorzio of the San Gimignano Denomination, 30 hectolitres were seized from a winery after the authorities found wood chips that were apparently being used for wine that was to become San Gimignano Rosso DOC. A spokesperson for the Consorzio told ThirtyFifty, ‘The law prohibits the use for DOCG and DOC wines – ie Vernaccia and San Gimignano Red – but chips are allowed for IGT wines and table wine.’
As a result, the winery has downgraded the wine to IGT and the authorities have released it.

More worrying for the region is that the Italian press reported that the more well-known Tuscan white wine Vernaccia di San Gimignano was involved. Giovanni Panizzi, head of the Consorzio, told ThirtyFifty, ‘The news of the confiscation of Vernaccia di San Gimignano is false and has caused damage to the wine in Italy and throughout the world. The economic repercussions of this situation could become very heavy.’

The San Gimignano confiscation follows current investigations into Brunello and Vino Nobile di Montepulciano after claims that they have been blended with grapes from outside the regions.