THE CONSORTIUM FOR THE PROTECTION OF CIRÒ AND MELISSA DOC WINES TOWARDS ITS DOCG DENOMINATION

A historic milestone, awaited and built with determination step by step. With the publication of the new specification in the Official Journal of the European Union, Cirò Rosso Riserva is officially on its way to becoming Cirò Classico DOCG. This opens a new phase of recognition and valorization for the oldest and most significant Calabrian wine denomination. In the absence of opposition within 90 days, the transition to DOCG will be officially ratified.

The result of a long journey that began in 2019 and led by the Consorzio di Tutela Vini DOC Cirò e Melissa, which has fully completed the bureaucratic process also at the European Commission level, the transition to DOCG represents not only a recognition of the quality of the wine, but above all a consecration of the territorial, cultural and historical value of the production area, enclosed in the municipalities of Cirò and Cirò Marina, in the province of Crotone.

It is in this delimited area – which extends from the coastal hills to the first slopes of the Sila – that the native Gaglioppo vine, the undisputed protagonist of the denomination, finds its maximum expression.

"This recognition is the result of a collective effort involving producers, technicians, institutions and the entire local winemaking fabric. – declares the President of the Consortium, Raffaele Librandi – We believed from the beginning that Cirò Rosso Riserva had all the characteristics to become a national and international point of reference. With the transition to DOCG and the new denomination 'Cirò Classico', we want to strengthen its positioning and tell its identity with even greater force".

Cirò Classico DOCG has a ruby red color with garnet reflections, and is distinguished by an intense and complex olfactory profile, in which notes of red fruit and spices stand out. On the palate it is full-bodied, harmonious and persistent, with an evolution that makes it increasingly velvety over time. A sensorial balance that comes from the perfect synergy between variety and terroir: Gaglioppo, in fact, has been deeply rooted in the Cirò area for centuries, where it benefits from sedimentary soils rich in skeleton and minerals, as well as a unique microclimate, influenced by the Ionian Sea to the East and the Sila hills to the West.

The production area extends over approximately 9,000 hectares, in a varied landscape that alternates river terraces, regular hills and sandy or conglomerate reliefs. The temperature ranges, the concentration of rainfall in the autumn months and the limited availability of water in the summer contribute to the balanced ripening of the grapes, giving further complexity and personality to the wine.

With Cirò Classico DOCG, Calabria wine takes a decisive step towards the recognition of its own winemaking identity, based on the valorization of the territory, the native vines and the daily work of a cohesive and passionate community, represented today by over 300 winemakers and 71 wineries. A result that strengthens the prestige of the production area and opens new prospects for the future of the denomination.