Italy: Brunello regains US trust; Tuscan wine no longer needs special approval for shipment

Italy: Brunello regains US trust

ROME — Italy’s agriculture minister says Brunello di Montalcino wine has regained U.S. trust and no longer needs special approval for shipment to American markets.

Two years ago, Italy created a panel of experts to check if the wine, one of Italy’s best known, meets production standards.

There had been fears some of the wine might have been cut with other grape varieties instead of only sangiovese grapes. U.S. authorities required special documentation indicating that Brunello coming into the country had been inspected to ensure quality.

Minister Giancarlo Galan said Thursday that starting May 1 that special approval will no longer be required since Brunello has “won back” Americans’ trust. About one-quarter of the Brunello produced each year goes to the U.S.