Density.
The winter was consistently warmer than usual but budburst was later than usual because the spring was chillier than usual. Reading all these vintage reports, you will understand that the unusual is normal.
Spring also brought plentiful rain, which refilled the water reserves and allowed the vines to produce a balanced density of leaves. The cold nights of 26th and 27th April caused flowers to drop off the Sangiovese vines, leaving the bunches spread out on the vine, which allows better aeration and health. Some of the flowers in the remaining clusters also fell, and the reduced numbers of grapes per bunch led to greater concentration, improving the quality of the crop.
The summer was moderate, temperatures only peaking on a few days in July. July also produced a memorable isolated gale with torrential rain, black skies and a splendid rainbow afterwards. Veraison in the Anfiteatro vineyard began on 9th August and in the Melo vineyard on 16th August.
The temperature variations in August and September accelerated the maturation of the grapes, particularly the red ones. Harvest started on 27th September in the Anfiteatro vineyard and on 1st October in the Melo one.
In the hope of sharing our wine with you, we leave you with the words of Pliny the Elder, “In vino veritas” [ In wine there is truth]. He also said “Thanks to wine, humans are the only animals that drink without being thirsty”.