Harvest Vintage 2017

The 2017 wine year will be remembered for the warm climatic trend and in particular for the low rainfall. The winter was mild with little snowfall, while the spring was characterized by some rains and temperatures above the seasonal average which further favored the vegetative development of the vine, which immediately proved to be anticipated and which continued for the rest of the season. At the end of April there was a sharp drop in temperatures, especially at night. We feared that the 2017 production could be immediately compromised due to damage from frost but fortunately we had no damage since our vineyards are located in a medium-high hill area and the frosts affected above all the valley bottoms and the cooler parts of the hillsides. From the month of May the weather situation stabilized and a long period of good weather began which from the phytosanitary point of view allowed us to almost eliminate the phytosanitary interventions for the control of fungal diseases. Throughout the summer, maximum temperatures were above average but unlike other hot years, we had cooler nights which allowed the vines to overcome the thermal stress problem unscathed. Between the end of August and the beginning of September, the long-awaited rains led to the accumulation of 25 mm of water which served to partially rebalance the water supply of the grapes, now abundantly turning dark and Starting from the first week of September, temperatures dropped significantly with significant temperature changes between day and night. Nebbiolo and Barbera benefited the most from this situation, which recorded data that differ greatly from those of other "hot" vintages, especially as regards the accumulation of anthocyanins and tannins. The vegetative cycle of the vine, i.e. the period between budding and technological maturation, was also different compared to other early years. In other warm years the vegetative cycle was around 170 days. In 2017 it was 185 days, against 200 in years considered "late". In summary it was indeed an early year, but the vine was still able to complete its development in a complete way.
From an analytical point of view, a good pH level was recorded but with lower than average total acidity and a lower malic acid content. This proves the excellent degree of ripening of the fruit. The quantitative yield in the vineyard was also lower but this is a figure in line with a year in which rainfall was scarce. Based on what has been observed, we can certainly remember this vintage as one of the earliest in recent years, given that the Nebbiolo harvest began in the second ten days of September and ended at the beginning of October, about two weeks earlier compared to the norm. The 2017 harvest takes its leave, leaving us with wines of great perspective, once again confirming the great vocation and adaptation of viticulture in the Langhe hills and the ability of our vineyards to overcome even periods of greater stress thanks to appropriate cultivation tricks.