Veneto bars stored 2025 Pinot grigio from Delle Venezie DOC sales

Veneto has ordered that Pinot grigio from the 2025 harvest that is still being held in storage cannot be sold under the DOC “Delle Venezie” Pinot grigio name, a move aimed at keeping more supply from entering a weak market.

The measure was set out in Decree No. 20022 of the director of Veneto’s agri-food department, dated October 16 and published in the regional official bulletin on October 23. According to details released by Confagricoltura Vicenza, the wine covered by the storage measure must instead move through the certification system after being reclassified for other uses.

That means the stored product will not be released as DOC “Delle Venezie” Pinot grigio. It will have to be reassigned within the limits set by Article 38, paragraphs 1 and 2, of Italy’s wine law, Law 238/2016. The possible outlets include Pinot grigio marketed as wine with or without a geographical indication, or another denomination of origin if the product meets the required standards.

The decision affects wine that had already been frozen under an earlier supply-control measure. Veneto had activated the storage requirement through Director’s Decree No. 123 on July 1, 2025. Together with lower yield limits, that step held back part of the grapes, musts and wines produced from vineyard areas eligible for the Delle Venezie denomination, with the stated goal of rebalancing supply.

The new decree followed a request from the Consorzio tutela vini DOC “Delle Venezie,” the body that protects the appellation. Confagricoltura Vicenza said that request was shared with supply-chain organizations during a meeting on September 28. The decision was also taken in agreement with the autonomous province of Trento and the Friuli Venezia Giulia region, reflecting the cross-regional nature of the Delle Venezie production area.

Regional authorities and the consortium justified the measure by pointing to current market conditions. Their position is that allowing more wine to enter the market under the DOC label would risk pushing prices lower and weakening the standing of the denomination. By forcing the stored volumes into other categories, the authorities are trying to protect the commercial value attached to the Delle Venezie name across growers, wineries and bottlers.

Triveneta Certificazioni, the control body responsible for the denomination, will handle the technical steps needed to apply the decree. That includes managing the reclassification process and directing the affected lots toward their new marketing categories.

For the wine trade, the decision could have effects beyond the denomination itself. It narrows the volume that can legally be sold as Delle Venezie DOC Pinot grigio, and it may require producers and merchants to reassess certification plans, inventory values and sales channels for the wine that remains in storage. It could also shift more product into lower-tier categories or other eligible appellations, with potential consequences for pricing and supply across parts of the Italian white wine market.