AOC & DOCG Rules

Anybody know where to find the AOC and DOCG rules? I’m sure they must exist somewhere (preferably in English), but I cannot find them published anywhere. For example, I’d love to know what the most recent size of Chianti Classico is (where does Jancis get those figures in the first place?) and exactly what international varieties are allowed in the non-Sangiovese 20% of Chianti.

Here’s Chianti:

http://www.chianticlassico.com/en/vino/disciplinare/

Well, here’s the real deal for info on the AOC. Unfortunately, it’s in French.

I’m interested in seeing this too! Hopefully someone has a comprehensive source in English. Cheers!

Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah are allowed next to the “other” Tuscan Grapes like Canaiolo, Marzemino and Mammolo. I’m not sure whether white grapes can still be used like they were in the old days, e.g. under the Governo system.

I asked Jancis if she knew a source that had all the AOC laws in English. Jancis said No, and apparently (there have been) so many recent changes that it’s pretty impossible to find all current AC regs in French.

OMG. She’s so rad! flirtysmile

The most up to date, accurate, all in one place, in English that you will find for wine laws is here:

http://www.guildsomm.com/

You do have to pay, but I think the accuracy and how current it is makes it worth it.

Strangely, the most up to date info on DOCGs often comes from Alfonso Cevola who sells Italian wine in TEXAS: http://www.acevola.blogspot.com/

If you use Chrome as your browser, it will offer to translate for you – generally, it’s decent enough to allow you to understand what is being said, sometimes very good.

Mike, the “governo system” was a form of ripasso to produce added richness. I don’t think it had anything to do with the cepage.

To this part of your question the answer is:

80-100% Sangiovese
Maximum 20% other red grapes authorized by Siena and Firenze (i.e. Colorino, Canaiolo Nero, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot)
As of the 2006 vintage, Trebbiano Toscano and Malvasia Bianco are no longer allowed

Close. One adds raisins to a stuck fermentation in the Governo system. It’s not a form of ripasso.

Ripasso is where one adds one wine to another by one of three different methods (two more common than the third):

  1. putting finished Valpolicella into a recently evacuated Recioto Amarone cask where it will mix with the lees and kick start a little refermentation.
  2. segregating a percentage (30% ish) of your fruit, drying it, vinifying it, and then adding it the other 70% previously vinified wine to kick start a little refermentation.
  3. someone correct me here if I’m wrong, but memory tells me: half of your harvest is immediately vinified, the other half is dried for a few months, vinified, and blended with the first half, and THEN the original pomace is added to the blend to kick start a little refermentation.

Anyway, good luck finding up to date French or Italian wine “rules” in any language hahahaha!

Veronica, you must have Jancis on speed dial!

Sarah, I found the same. Article 2 from the website that Andy shared states that “red grapes belonging to varieties recommended and authorized in the administrative districts of the production zone of the grapes set forth in Article 3 below” are allowed, up to 20%, but of course those grapes are never listed. Helpful…

This all begs the question, how would one study for the MW exam, or even make wine in Chianti Classico, without being able to find the rules???

Now here’s an oddity. The DOCG Chianti Classico rules set forth by the Consorzio Vino Chianti Classico, which is the only copy of the rules I can find anywhere, are clear that restrictions on varietal composition are placed only on the vineyard:

“Chianti Classico wine must be obtained from grapes grown in the production zone delimited in Article 3 below and derived from vineyards having, within the estate framework, the following ampelographical composition: Sangiovese, from 80% to 100%. In addition, red grapes belonging to varieties recommended and authorized in the administrative districts of the production zone of the grapes set forth in Article 3 below, can be used in the production of the wine in a maximum ratio of 20% of the area entered on the vineyard register.”

Now for a thought experiment. Assume a 10 acre estate, planted to 8 acres of Sangiovese grown to yield 1.5 tons an acre and 2 acres of Cabernet Sauvignon grown to yield 3 tons an acre (3.34 tons an acre is the maximum yield allowed). At 70% wine yield, you would have a wine of 5.6 tons of Sangiovese and 4.2 tons of Cabernet Sauvignon. While the 80/20 varietal composition requirement from Article 2 is met, you have produced a wine of 57% Sangiovese and 43% Cabernet Sauvignon.

Welcome to the ancient game of Italy: set the rules, then artfully defy them!