WINE NEWS /
Chianti merger
Earlier this year, the Chianti
Classico Consortium and the Gallo Nero (or Black Cockerel) consortium
merged under the umbrella of the former. The primary motivation for
their consolidation was to enhance Chianti's competitive ability in
international markets through the concentration of resources and decision-making
processes. The new organization will be known as the Consorzio Vino
Chianti Classico or Consortium of Chianti Classico Wine.
The Gallo Nero Consortium was founded in 1924: in
1987 the Chianti Classico consortium was formed as an offshoot organization.
The former oversaw the marketing and promotion of the wines from greater
Chianti while the latter supervised quality control and vinification
standards for wines made in the nine privileged Chianti Classico townships
in the provinces of Firenze and Siena.
As a result of the merger, all Chianti wines (including
those made in Chianti Classico) will be labeled with the familiar
and beloved Gallo Nero, which has been lightly restyled (the iconic
image had remained unchanged since its inception in 1924).
The four original townships of Chianti Classico were
first recognized as such the Medici Grand Duke Cosimo III's edict
of 1716. The appellation – one of the earliest officially sanctioned
in Italy – was expanded only in 1932. The recent merger effectively
eliminates any competition that may have existed between the two groups.
Related wines and links: Querciabella,
Fontodi, Felsina,
Castell'in
Villa.
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