Italian Wine News

Barbera d'Asti and del Monferrato Superiore Upgraded to DOCG
Staff Writer – February 16, 2008

The Barbera d'Asti and the Barbera del Monferrato Superiore were upgraded from DOC to DOCG on February 12, 2008, in Rome, by the Comitato Nazionale Tutela Vini a Denominazione d'Origine (National Committee for the Protection of DOC Wines). The new recognition will be applied starting with the 2008 vintage. The production rules have been approved as they were originally formulated in the application for the upgrade.

Bunch of Barbera grapes

In addition, the Comitato Nazionale Vini (National Wine Committee) approved the proposed amendments to the production rules for the Barbera del Monferrato DOC.

"This is an important recognition", said the regional Agriculture Councilor, Mino Taricco, "for the work developed at a regional level and the collaboration between the consortium, all professionals involved in the production cycle, and the public institutions. Thanks to the commitment of all players, the upgrade process to DOCG took less than one year."

The Barbera is the most cultivated vine in Piedmont, thus receiving the upgrade to DOCG represents an important feat for the Piedmont region.

There are now 13 DOCG wines produced in Piedmont, which, added to theexisting 44 DOC wines accounts for over 80% of the regional wine production.

The other DOCG wines produced in Piedmont are:

• Asti e Moscato d'Asti,
• Barbaresco,
• Barolo,
• Brachetto d'Acqui o Acqui,
• Dolcetto di Dogliani o Dogliani,
• Gattinara,
• Gavi o Cortese di Gavi,
• Ghemme,
• Roero,
• Arneis.

PIEDMONT DOCG WINES (Based upon 2006 data)
TYPE OF WINE	VINEYARDS AREA (HECTARES)
BARBARESCO	695,02
BARBERA D'ASTI	6,781,58
BARBERA DEL MONFERRATO SUPERIORE *	300,00
BAROLO	1,786.35
BRACHETTO D'ACQUI	1,085.90
DOLCETTO DI DOGLIANI SUPERIORE or DOGLIANI	60.04
GATTINARA	100.89
GHEMME	63.73
ROERO	741.66
ASTI or MOSCATO NATURALE D'ASTI	9,955.31
GAVI or CORTESE DI GAVI	1,143.90
* ESTIMATED VALUE: 300 hectares of Monferrato Superiore which will be used to produce DOCG wines of the total 2,800 hectares cultivated. The remaining Barbera Monferrato wine still be DOC.
Total DOCG wines after the upgrade of the Barbera d'Asti and Barbera del Monferrato Superiore	22,714.38
Total DOCG wines before the upgrade of the Barbera d'Asti and Barbera del Monferrato Superiore	15,632.80
Total DOC and DOCG wines	41,254.12
Percentage of new DOCG compatred to previous total DOCG production	45.29%
Percentage of DOCG compared to total regional DOC and DOCG production before the upgrade	37.89%
Percentage of DOCG compared total regional DOC and DOCG production after the upgrade	55.05%
Source: Piedmont Chamber of Commerce - Provisional data
data elaborated by the Settori Programmazione in Materia di Agricoltura e Sviluppo Produzioni Vegetali dell'Assessorato Agricoltura.

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