AN EVER HIGHER QUALITY BRUNELLO: THE ASSEMBY OF PRODUCERS HAS DECIDED TO REDUCE THE YIELDS TO 60 QUINTALS PER HECTARE

President Ezio Rivella: «a courageous decision – the first in Italy - in keeping with the policy started five years ago for ensuring the right place on the international market of Montalcino wines. A strong signal coming from one of the most committed territories in the development of Italian quality wines».

Montalcino, 31st May 2011 – A decisive follow-up of the policy started in 2006 for containing the yields in view of higher quality and a better positioning in the international market. The assembly of partners gathered in the Consorzio del Brunello di Montalcino approved the decision to further reduce the yield per hectare, limiting it to 60 quintals as opposed to the 80 quintals of the regulations. A very important step, in keeping with the events of the last 5 years, during which producers had always changed the limit to 70 quintals.

«A courageous decision - commented President of the Consorzio Ezio Rivella, which has proved successful. The results both in terms of positioning in the market and in quality were immediately visible, as was made clear by the 2006 vintage and the last 2010 harvest. A step that confirms the policy begun some time ago and aimed at correcting the positioning of Montalcino wines within the international market. A strong signal coming from one of the most committed territories in the development of Italian quality wines».

To safeguard them, small producers, however, were guaranteed the possibility of maintaining a yield of 70 quintals for the first hectare of vineyard, in order to support estates with a small sized vineyard but eager to maintain their volume of produce.

Data taken from 1rst January to 31st December 2010 indicate that the number of Brunello di Montalcino bottles sold reached 8,300,000, as opposed to the 7,200,000 of 2009, with a 15% increase. Good sales also for the other wines: 3,200,000 bottles of Rosso, the same amount as in 2009, 200,000 bottles of Sant’Antimo, 40,000 of Moscadello. Of these 11 million bottles sold in 2010, 62% were sold on the international market: while 25% of exports are destined for the United States, good results are also obtained in Germany, Switzerland, Canada, as well as in England and Japan. A growing market is also to be found in Asia with Korea, Hong Kong and China at the head.

Total sales in 2010 increased by 5%, going from 135,000,000 euros in 2009 to 142,000,000 euros in 2010.

Good signs also from the first four months of 2011, with 4,500,000 bottles of Brunello sold, as opposed to the 4 million and 200 thousand of the same four-month period last year.
«These data confirm - concludes President Rivella – the great success of the 2006 vintage put on the market on the 1rst of January 2011».