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Hello there! I'm Dr. Vinifera, or "Vinny" for short. Ask me your toughest wine questions, from the technical aspects of winemaking to the fine points of etiquette. I hope you find my answers educational and even amusing. Looking for a particular answer? Check my archive and my FAQs.
Dear Dr. Vinny,
I have purchased Barolo from the recent 2000 vintage. Most of the bottles had a pink DOCG tag that was glued to the capsule. However, I purchased two bottles of Gaja Conteisa, and they did not have the pink tag. Is the Conteisa not from that particular region, or did I get duped?
—Nicholas A., Cedar Falls, Iowa
Dear Nicholas,
You are correct that most Barolos carry the DOCG denomination (the top classification of Italy) and must carry the pink tag. However, beginning with the 1996 vintage, Gaja decided to declassify his Barbaresco and Barolo crus to Langhe DOC, which does not need a pink tag. Conteisa is also a Langhe DOC, and therefore doesn't need one either.
—Dr. Vinny
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