Here it is the 2021 Vintage Report
Harvest 2021
We will remember this hot and dry year mostly for the great resilience of the vine that has allowed us to bring the grapes to an excellent quality level.
Climatic and phytosanitary trend
Not a very cold winter followed by a cool spring which delayed the budding of the vine compared to previous years, low rain and a consequential dry and hot summer.
A careful management of water resources, soil fertility and the foliage of the plants was crucial to recover from difficulties caused by the season, the resilience of the vine did the rest.
The delayed was completely compensated during the summer. White grape varieties and the earliest reds (Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Sangiovese) have been harvested by the second ten days of September. Montepulciano, a late variety, benefited from the scarce rainfall at the end of summer to resume the ripening process that was completed in the first ten days of October.
In our Roseto degli Abruzzi estate season has been good and definitely hot. Pecorino has ripen very early and Montepulciano has matured gradually as in the Conero area, allowing to complete the just a few days later than the previous year.
Harvest time
In Marche region we started on August 9th with Chardonnay grapes for our classic method. At the end of the month it was the turn of the Verdicchio grapes used for the sparkling and a few days later we also started in Abruzzo with Pecorino grapes. Collection of Verdicchio grapes destined to the making of Villa Bianchi started at the end of the first week of September and, in the following two weeks, we also completed that for Casal di Serra, Plenio and Vecchie Vigne.
From the first half of September was time for Merlot, Montepulciano grapes destined for Rosato and then Sangiovese. Cabernet Sauvignon and Montepulciano grapes destined for our best selections, both in the Marche and in Abruzzo, were harvested between the end of September and the first half of October.
On 25 October we finished the season with botrytized Sauvignon.
Quality and Quantity
A rather poor year from a quantitative point of view, as are every hot and dry vintage, definitely good in terms of quality.
