This year, the harvest started a dozen days earlier than last year, which had already begun early. It is the result of a long and challenging year that has tested us in the vineyard on more than one occasion. We weathered three hailstorms on 11 May, 2 June, and 3 July. Fortunately, they did not affect the whole area. However, in the most severely impacted plots, the damage reached 93%. The consequences will affect more than just this year’s harvest. The vines that have been most damaged will probably reach vegetative restart in 2027 in a worse condition. We’ll have to accompany them and take care of them.
Then came an exceptionally hot summer, with temperatures reaching close to 40 degrees. Fortunately, it was not one of the driest seasons. Some rain between July and August helped the plants through their most delicate period. Strangely enough, there has also been a small positive side to hail. The affected vines produced fewer grapes, allowing them to concentrate their energy on the remaining bunches. The result of our efforts to salvage the production is that we now have very healthy, beautiful, colourful grapes. A premise that makes us hope for the quality of the wines, despite such a hot and complicated year.
At the start of spring, I also took over a hectare and a half of Garganega grapes. This vineyard was also affected by hail, but only partially. This will help to compensate for the reduced yield from the other plots, albeit only slightly.
The Picai are almost completed. We will also harvest the Primo Incontro grapes next weekend. Then, before harvesting El Gian and Col Moenia, we will wait for the Grape Festival in Gambellara on the weekend of 26 September. The grapes destined for the Cuvée dei Vignato are really beautiful in Brenton and will probably be harvested the week before, along with the Soave variety.
Once again, it is a harvest that requires attention and patience, as well as the ability to choose the right moment. Even in challenging years like this one, which are full of unforeseen events, our goal remains the same: to ensure that the grapes reaching the cellar are of the highest possible quality by carefully selecting and planning the harvest, vineyard by vineyard.
What about the future? The world of wine remains difficult to predict. However, things are looking a little more promising for my company today than they were a year ago. We have invested heavily in promoting our wines, the region, and our approach to winemaking. And things are moving: customers are happy and keep coming back to order again and again. These are small but important signals that boost energy levels and confidence.
After a year like this, perhaps what I will take to the cellar with the grapes is the knowledge that difficulties cannot be avoided, but how we deal with them is a choice we make every day.