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Organic viticulture grows in Montecucco
The latest survey from the Consorzio Tutela Vini Montecucco has revealed that an increasing number of producers in the Tuscan appellation are moving towards organic viticulture.
From mid-June to mid-July of this year, producers who are members of the consorzio were surveyed on what they grow, how they grow it, and where they sell the wines they produce. In total, the sample looked at 76% of the production Montecucco DOC and 79% of Montecucco DOCG.
The lead variety is Sangiovese, which constitutes 61% of the area under vine, followed by Vermentino at 11%. The remainder is constituted of both international varieties, such as Merlot (7%), as well as more obscure indigenous ones, like Ciliegiolo (5%).
According to the results, at present, 95% of the vineyards utilised for Montecucco DOC wines are certified as organic, and 91.5% for the DOCG.
The previous survey from the consorzio, which was conducted from May 2020 to July 2021, revealed that 85% of the vineyard area of the appellation was under organic cultivation, while 2% was in conversion – around 81% of the total tonnage of Montecucco DOCG grapes was organic, compared to 51% for Chianti Classico and 38% for Vino Nobile di Montepulciano.
At the time, the Consorzio Tutela Vini Montecucco expressed its intention to go for 100% organic in the “near future” – a plan which the current data suggests is on track.
The consorzio is also, according to a press release, holding discussions about how “especially in light of the conditions linked to climate change”, they might extend the wine production area “to the entire administrative area of the mountain municipalities, with the aim of increasing the altitude of the denomination’s land”.
If this goes ahead, producers in Montecucco would follow the likes of those in Abruzzo, who are increasingly planting at higher altitudes to escape increasingly hot, humid conditions, which can prove devastating for yields.
Export destinations
While Montecucco is not as famous as other Tuscan appellations, its wines do still enjoy a fairly healthy export market.
According to the latest survey, 35% of the consumption of Montecucco wines is in the domestic market, and the big volume markets for exports are Switzerland (30% share), Germany (12%), US (8.5%) and Benelux (8%). Asked about where producers wished to increase their exports, the top three nations cited were Canada, the UK, and Japan.
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