The renewed interest consumers are having about wine in recent years has
drastically changed the trading and production of this beverage; consumers
are getting more and more exacting about quality while rightly paying little or
no attention about quantity. Consumers drink less wine, and drink with a more
conscious moderation, however they drink and want to drink better wine.
Rightly.
One of the factors that should warrant a good level of quality is represented
by the so called appellations of origin, that is the series of norms and
disciplinary which suggest producers guidelines on how to make wines having a
level of quality pretty high. Does any wine belonging to a specific category of
appellation of origin represent a real and sufficient warranty of quality?
Quality systems are legally in force in some wine countries of the world and
each one of them has the purpose of warranting, in a legal way, the quality of
wines which are recognized to be in suitable conditions in order to belong to a
certain category of appellation. Most of the times, producers themselves
propose to institute some appellation of origin, they also take care of writing
the text of the disciplinary to be submitted to the institutional offices in
charge for this matter. In a certain way, producers themselves define a
production style in order to warrant the quality of the wines made in specific
areas.
The ideas is certainly noble and worth of consideration, however what happens
in reality tells a different story which is sometimes contrasting and
paradoxical. Sometimes there are wines, belonging to the very same appellation
of origin, which indisputably have very different quality levels, some of them
can be scarcely considered as mediocre, however they all are considered, at
least from a institutional and legal point of view, as worth representatives of
a high quality production. To be honest, the term itself mentioned in these
wine's labels, appellation of origin, does not refer to any term that could be
associated to quality, in fact it just warrants a wine is coming from a
specific area.
There is no doubt about the importance of safeguarding the traditions and the
typicality of wines and grapes coming from historical areas and traditionally
suited to the cultivation of vine and to the production of wine, we all know
the area where a wine and grapes come from, represent a fundamental factor in
the quality of wine. In case we would analyze the texts of the production
disciplinary concerning appellation of origin of the many countries which
adopt this kind of quality system, we would find out precise guidelines both on
the cultivation of grapes and on the production of wine, however, it is clearly
evident the results, from a producer to another, are absolutely different.
If we consider, for example, the parameter of yield per hectare, we clearly
realize the indications provided by a disciplinary can be freely applied in
many ways, as well as relying on seriousness and honesty of wine producers
that, most of the times, use and apply own criteria which are absolutely legal
and acceptable according to the disciplinary itself. Let's suppose a
disciplinary would define, for a specific appellation, a maximum yield per
hectare of 100 quintals. This kind of yield can be obtained in different ways
and each of them would be absolutely legal. We can obtain this yield, for
example, by having 1000 vines per hectare and having each vine to produce 10
kilograms of grapes, or we can have 10000 vines per hectare and have each
vine to produce one kilogram of grapes. The result is always and however the
same, that is 100 quintals per hectare, however it is also clear the quality of
grapes, and therefore of wine, will be very different: the more the grape
produced by a single vine, the worse the quality of grapes and its
characteristics. Anyway, wines obtained from these two examples can both
legally belong to the hypothetical appellation of origin which sets a maximum
yield per hectare of 100 quintals.
This kind of production choices influence not only the quality of wine but also
the costs for making a wine. There is no doubt about this, the costs for
maintaining and cultivating a one hectare vineyard having 1000 vines is
certainly and absolutely less than the ones required for a one hectare vineyard
having 10000 vines. These costs, added to all the other costs of each phase
of the production, directly influence the final price of a wine. This is
certainly not anything new: to make a high quality wine means to make costly
and demanding choices, however we should make proper distinctions between the
honest and reasonable price proposed for the quality of wine and the real and
proper speculation.
Does appellation of origin mean quality? The most appropriate answer seems to
be maybe. Probably the most certain thing that could be warranted by any
appellation of origin, provided there are suitable and proper controls done by
the authorities in charge of this as well as the seriousness and honesty of
producers, is the area of origin. The real and proper quality of a product is
strictly dependent to the seriousness and the choices of a producer, instead of
the indications and the guidelines proposed by the appellations of origin.
However it should be noted the differences in quality, even the most evident
and embarrassing ones, among wines belonging to the same appellation of origin,
are just cause of confusion, distrust and prejudicial attitudes in consumers
for those wines coming from certain areas. In case a consumer would buy for the
very first time a bottle of wine belonging to a specific appellation of origin
and produced with low quality standards, this would make the consumer believe
every wine from that appellation is of low quality. This prejudice is, of
course, detrimental for any other producer which makes wines belonging to that
appellation of origin with high quality standards and believes in the wine
traditions of its area. It will be pretty hard for that consumer to change his
or her point of view about the quality of the wines from that area, in case he
or she had a low quality wine from that very area.
Sometimes happens that certain producers, historically associated to a specific
area, deliberately decide to not have their wines belonging to a specific
appellation of origin, and prefer having their wines belonging to a more
generic appellation, even though it is legally considered of lower quality, and
by doing so they free themselves of the embarrassing load associated to
those appellation of origin whose wines are mostly considered bad because of
the low quality standards applied by some producers. Most of the times the
wines dissociated by some producers to the historical appellation to which they
belonged for a long time, are produced with the very same grapes and in the
very same area but with production criteria absolutely different and
qualitatively better.
Quality of wines, like we said, also depends on the area of origin and its
climatic conditions, these both represent important and determinant factors,
however the area of origin cannot be itself the only factor that could warrant
quality. Vine can be cultivated in the best and most suitable place of the
world, but if the cultivation is done approximately and speculatively and wine
is produced in a generic and uncaring way, it is impossible to make any product
of quality, despite the fact it was produced in an excellent area. It is
rightly said that production of wine also requires the careful and intelligent
work of man, also supported by the will of Mother Nature, and, above all, the
conscious will to make a quality wine, no matter what is suggested by any law
or disciplinary of any appellation of origin.
Does appellation of origin mean quality? Maybe, but this factor itself is not
enough to make a great wine. Consider and ponder the work and the results of
every producer which work in any specific area, their respect for the grape and
the work done in the vineyard, their passion for making wine and, last but not
the least, the honesty with which they sell their products: consider all that
in determining the real quality of a wine.
|