|
INTRODUCTION
The law founding the Denominazione di Origine
system, No. 930 enacted in 1963, established a DOCG category
among the other appellations. The "G" in Denominazione di
Origine Controllata e Garantita means "Guaranteed."
A new law adopted in 1992, No.164, retained that class of
wines and ranked them at a level superior to the other DOC
beverages in the pyramid of classification. The point of the
change was to establish a presumption of qualitative
superiority, beginning with special premium characteristics
that should be recognized and a consolidated national and
international reputation. The terms used are so relative
that it is difficult at times to establish their real
significance. But everyone is agreed that the operations
stipulated by the DOC regulations, which require quality
controls for every shipment, whether in terms of chemical or
sensory analysis, and end with the granting of a special
numbered seal for each bottle, are so detailed and
comprehensive that the costs of these wines must necessarily
be fairly high. Because they are extremely complicated, the
procedures are difficult to apply and always involve
increased expenditure. The reduction of yields produced by
adherence to the rules is also costly.
The DOCG measures insure that each bottle is counted,
providing an exact me asure of produc tion , while the
application to each of a special seal makes it difficult to
evade the law's requirements. In fact, the DOCG rules prove
their worth in all cases in which audit procedures show the
precise ratio of bottles to output of grapes and wine. It is
without doubt a costly procedure, adapted only to expensive
wines.
However, admittance to the DOCG category does not serve to
position the production of a determined wine-growing area at
a higher level on the market. All of the experience
accumulated in the field, which by now is substantial,
indicates that, if wines lack quality or image, their appeal
to the consumer will remain the same whether they are DOC or
DOCG products. It is an error to seek reclassification to
the DOCG level of a given wine that is linked in
consumers'minds with a certain image and price with the hope
of elevating its standing and securing a higher price. The
perccived quality and image remain the same, while the
complications and the cost of complying with the
requirements will become a burden on the production system
and create problems on the market. In no case has the DOCG
helped sales.
Therefore, the desire to insert all or part of the
production of certain areas in this category is misdirected
and irrational. There is no question that costs will be
heavier, while there is no assurance that higher prices can
be requested. There are already examples of negative results
from assignment of the DOCG to areas that were too extensive
or to wines that lacked adequate images or prices. In other
cases, however, like that of Asti Spumante, the DOCG has
functioned well in providing a strict acccunting of the
number of bottles produced and, therefore, the amount of
wine that undergoes secondary fermentation. It is true that
this wine does not command a high price but, at the same
time, efficient organization made possible by the
substantial industrialization of production has permitted
absorption of most of the increased costs.
To avoid pointless illusions and establish transparent
rules, the National DOC Committee has adopted special
standards that should be met by all wines for which
admittance to the DOCG category is sought. Obviously, they
supplement the law's requirements that the wines be of
premium value and have nationwide and international
reputations. Among the limits imposed by the Committoe are
the following: production of grapes per hectare is set at
only 80 quintals (3 56 tons an acre) for red wines and 100
quintals (4.45 tons) for whites and a yield in wine of 70%
for reds and 65% for whites, in addition to a higher minimum
natural alcohol level, which is intended to encourage
producers to concentrate on quality in the vineyard.
In setting standards for the assignment of the DOCG, the
Committee is acting in the interest of both producers and
consumers.
For many historic wines of high quality, which meet all the
requirements, offer the necessary quality and command
adequate prices, the DOCG system functions admirably,
providing an accounting of every bottle produced.
|