The Cirò and Melissa DOC Wine Protection Consortium towards DOCG recognition for the Cirò Rosso Riserva 18 December 2023 11:02 From: Silvia Comarella

The Consortium for the Protection of DOC Cirò and Melissa Wines, over the years, has undertaken a path that has led the wines of the denominations to be known and appreciated at a European level and beyond. A lot of work has been done to give the right value to the wine-growing area and its products, and the Public Assessment that took place on 16 November of the Cirò Riserva DOCG was a great confirmation for the Consortium that this virtuous path is bearing fruit . The official transition to DOCG will still take some time. After publication in the Official Journal, approval from the European Community is expected. However, the process, which began in 2019, symbolizes the desire to elevate the territory and recognize the wine-growing value and merit that it possesses and make it competitive within the market. “ The choice to have the Docg brand awarded only to the Rosso Doc Cirò Riserva – explains Raffaele Librandi, President of the Consortium – is motivated by the desire to make the most of the rising star of our Denomination, a wine with the right structure and character to be able be competitive on the market. Furthermore, it is produced with one of the most distinctive vines of our region, Gaglioppo .” When we talk about the "classic" area, from which the Rosso Doc Cirò Riserva is born, we mean the municipalities of Cirò and Cirò Marina. The district develops in the extreme north of the Province of Crotone, on the coast of the Ionian coast and in its hilly hinterland up to the first slopes of the Sila. It includes an area covering approximately 20,000 hectares which extends along the Ionian coast for approximately 25 km and extends more than 10 km inland. The bureaucratic process is not yet finished, and we will have to wait a few more weeks for the recognition to be official; however, the requirements to access the final step are present and the hope is that the process will reach its completion as soon as possible