Consigli DiVini - » New DOC in Piedmont

The wine committee of Piedmont has given the green light to a new Doc, Alba derived from Barbera and Nebbiolo grapes, which, if adopted nationally, would enrich the set of designations of origin of the region, and has launched some changes to be the Barolo and Barbaresco that will allow to better adjust geographical indications.
The Regional Committee, which represents the entire production chain and institutions, at a meeting in Turin, has unanimously approved ‘the new denomination of origin "Alba", which involves a large area (47 municipalities) and will be made by Nebbiolo grapes (70%), Barbera (15%) and some smaller vineyards. The opinion expressed by the regional chain will now be forwarded to the Ministry of Agriculture, for an assessment, and after a further step in the National Wine Commitee, will become the subject of a ministerial decree for full approval. Piedmont currently has 14 DOCG and 44 DOC, with the last entry in 2008, Barbera d’Asti, Barbera del Monferrato Superiore and Dolcetto Ovada Superior or Ovada. "Within the next harvest we could have the new Alba DOC – says the Regional Agriculture minister Mino Taricco – a shared result of great importance, because this is the first name that comes from two vines, which in turn represent the two red grapes most extensively grown in Piedmont. In addition, it uses a prestigious name as that of Alba, known at international level, and this could only benefit the promotion of the new DOC, in a scenario like the one already rich excellence of Piedmont in wine making". The wine Committee has also approved an amendment to regulate the production of Barolo DOCG, which introduces additional geographical indications (so-called cru all’italiana), which show on the label the original location from which the grapes come. Already used today, the geographical indications, will make even more complete the system of certification of origin. Similarly, Barbaresco, for which an additional geographical indications had already set in the specification, was completed with the introduction of the term "Ronchi".