Tag: Wines of Italy

Radici del Sud 2025: Celebrating the Roots of Southern Italian Wine and Food

The twentieth edition of Radici del Sud recently concluded spectacularly, marking another milestone for this renowned annual celebration of Southern Italian wine and culinary excellence. Held from June 4–9, 2025, at the historic former Distillery Paolo Cassano in Gioia del Colle, Puglia, this unique gathering brought together wine producers, international buyers, critics, journalists, and passionate consumers to celebrate and promote the authentic flavours of the South.

A Rich History of Southern Italian Wine Promotion

Founded in 2005, Radici del Sud (literally “Roots of the South”) was created to highlight the often-underestimated viticulture of Southern Italy. What began as a showcase exclusively for Apulian wineries has significantly grown over the years to include wines from all Southern Italian regions: Puglia, Campania, Calabria, Basilicata, Sicily, Molise, Abruzzo, and Sardinia.

The event’s mission remains unchanged: to highlight the unique identity of these wines and support producers in reaching international markets. This is achieved through professional tastings, B2B meetings, and conferences that emphasize sustainability and indigenous grape varieties such as Primitivo, Negroamaro, Aglianico, Nero d’Avola, and Greco.

The 2025 Event Experience

This year’s edition offered participants a complete immersion into Southern Italian wine culture. Guided tours on June 5 and 6 introduced guests to historic sites, local cellars, and Mediterranean cuisine at top restaurants. On June 7 and 8, structured B2B meetings paired producers with industry professionals, with about 20 wine producers featured in each session. These intimate exchanges allowed winemakers to tell the story of their wines and present full portfolios.

The festivities concluded on June 9 with a grand tasting featuring more than 100 wine and olive oil producers from Southern Italy. Open to both enthusiasts and industry specialists, this showcase gave importers and visitors the opportunity to discover new products while exploring the beautiful city of Bari.

Wine Competition and Quality Recognition

A highlight of Radici del Sud is its prestigious wine competition, where an international panel conducts blind tastings of hundreds of wines. The judges assess both technical excellence and the ability to express terroir and tradition.

This year’s tasting revealed exceptional quality across categories: Puglian rosés stood out with their bright character, Calabrian whites showed impressive complexity, and Southern Italy’s signature bold reds reaffirmed their distinctive intensity and depth.

Beyond Wine: Celebrating Culinary Heritage

Radici del Sud also celebrates the culinary traditions of the South with cooking shows, tastings, and presentations by chefs and food artisans. This holistic approach reinforces the deep connection between land, wine, and cuisine.

Wine Tourism in Puglia

Puglia has become a top wine tourism destination, as underscored by the event. Most wineries now offer tasting rooms and visitor facilities, while many provide integrated experiences such as cooking classes, wellness programs, vineyard dinners, sunset tastings, and grape harvest participation. With accommodations available at many estates, wine lovers can fully immerse themselves in the local terroir.

A Platform for Southern Italian Excellence

Over two decades, Radici del Sud has become a vital platform for showcasing the hidden gems of Italy’s southern wine regions. In an industry often dominated by northern and central Italian wines, it gives voice to the South, where sun, soil, and centuries of tradition create wines of remarkable character.

The 20th edition once again demonstrated that Southern Italian wines deserve recognition on the global stage. By highlighting authentic, terroir-driven wines and supporting local producers, Radici del Sud strengthens Southern Italy’s reputation as a source of distinctive, high-quality wines rooted in cultural and geographical heritage.

Filippo Magnani

Sicilia En Primeur 2025 celebrates wine culture as a “Guardian of Civilization” standing strong in the face of global challenges

The 2025 edition of Sicilia En Primeur was held from May 6th to 10th in the historic city of Modica, located in southeastern Sicily, providing a culturally rich and architecturally significant setting. One hundred international wine journalists and 57 wineries came together to experience over 300 labels for tasting, four specialized talks, and eleven wine tours. For 21 years, Sicilia En Primeur has been celebrating the evolution of a diverse wine region on the Mediterranean’s largest island. Its history, culture, traditions, and gastronomy are as rich as they are diverse.

Assovini Sicilia was founded 26 years ago by Diego Planeta, Lucio Tasca d’Almerita, and Giacomo Rallo, who launched an association to lead the way to a Sicilian wine renaissance and has since grown in membership and international success due to their visionary and collaborative approach. This year’s event theme was “The Culture of Wine in Sicily: A Thousand-Year Story that Looks to the Future” and focused on wine’s cultural value, responsible consumption, wine tourism, and sustainability.

Mariangela Cambria, President of Assovini Sicilia, emphasized how the association promotes wine as a product of civilization, knowledge, beauty, and tradition, positioning Sicily as defender of wine culture against restrictive global dynamics. The association’s success is based on innovation and adaptability, integrating new generations into company management roles while focusing on sustainability and cultural preservation.

In addition to the conference, Sicilia En Primeur organized eleven wine press tours exploring Sicily’s diverse terroirs from Etna’s volcanic slopes to Pantelleria’s sun-drenched vineyards, from Marsala’s historic cellars to emerging zones across the island. The tours revealed the extraordinary versatility of Sicily’s wine landscape and innovative approaches across different microclimates and altitudes.

Central to Sicily’s identity remains Nero d’Avola, representing over 60% of Sicilia DOC production with remarkable +441% growth since 2017. Four distinct biotypes correlate to different macro-zones: Central-Southern Sicily produces deep-colored wines with high alcohol and soft tannins; Western Sicily yields lighter, consistent wines; Eastern Sicily delivers higher polyphenol wines with characteristic herbaceous notes reminiscent of Cabernet Franc, often described as caper nuances. Catarratto emerged as exceptional for Classic Method sparklings at high altitude, while beloved Frappato showcased remarkable versatility in rosés, bubbles, and blends with Nero d’Avola.

Sicily represents international significance with over 8,000 vine-growers, 530 bottlers, 24,600 hectares, 86 million bottles annually, and Europe’s largest organic vineyard area with 26,000 hectares. DOC Sicily, established in 2011, serves as a powerful ambassador for the island’s diverse heritage.

This year’s collaboration with La Sicilia di Ulisse distinguished the event, featuring Michelin-starred chefs in the gala dinner celebrating Sicily’s 2025 European Gastronomic Region designation. This collective unites Sicilian distinction across hospitality, culinary arts, and winemaking industries. Strengthened collaborations with Enoteca Regionale Sud-Est and ATS Strade del Vino Cerasuolo di Vittoria delivered concentrated regional expertise on southeastern territories.

The comprehensive technical tasting showcased 300 wines from 57 producers, demonstrating Sicily’s evolution from bulk production to premium, terroir-driven wines competing internationally. Four specialized talks addressed contemporary challenges, including communication strategies, neuromarketing, and new State labelling initiatives.

Sicily stands as a territory achieving worldwide acclaim through substantial environmental stewardship commitments. The 2025 Sicilia En Primeur positioned itself as a cultural declaration safeguarding wine’s civilizational importance while championing innovation, ecological responsibility, and mindful consumption, demonstrating that Sicily’s viticultural community spearheads international discourse regarding wine culture’s evolution.

Sicily’s Wine Renaissance: Tourism Meets Timeless Tradition

In addition to the broad array of high-quality wines, Sicily offers stunning scenery and a unique historical and architectural heritage. Some of the best-preserved sites of antiquity are found across the island and are layered with all the cultures that came after. In less than an hour, one can visit Sicily’s largest Greek theatre in Taormina and do a wine tasting on the slopes of Mt Etna. Optionally, visit Moorish-influenced mosaics at a Norman cathedral in Palermo, then spend the afternoon exploring the best Marsala wineries. Few places offer such rich experiences with wineries that are so well-equipped to receive visitors. Among the members of Assovini Sicilia, almost all of them have a dedicated tasting room for visitors, and more than half offer experiences such as cooking classes and spa treatments, and winery tours that interact with the landscape and culture. The most popular experiences offered are sunset tastings, dinners in the vineyard, and a chance to join the grape harvest. One third of these wineries also have accommodation where wine enthusiasts can stay on the property, fully immersed in the terroir and culture of the winery.

During the Sicily En Primeur, some fantastic territories were explored on the press trips. Sveva Consonni, my collaborator, visited some great wineries and provided the following report.

Tenuta Rapitalà

Rapitalà (Arabic for “God’s Garden”) embodies a unique cultural fusion that began in 1968 when Laurent de la Gatinais’s French father and Sicilian mother settled on the island. Their vision: “drinking Sicily from a French point of view” – marrying French winemaking expertise with indigenous Sicilian varieties.

The 225-hectare estate spans diverse microclimates, with indigenous plantings dating to 1963 and international varieties introduced systematically from 1968-1985. Today, the family produces 2 million bottles annually across their Dominio Rapitalà and Horeca lines.

After achieving organic certification in 2021 (following a careful transition that began in 2011), Rapitalà continues collaborating with the University of Palermo on innovative viticultural practices. Their harvest extends from early August through late October, accommodating the estate’s varied terroir and commitment to optimal ripeness.

Serra Ferdinandea

A collaboration between Planeta and French financier Oddo, Serra Ferdinandea represents Sicily’s most ambitious biodynamic experiment. Located in Menfi at 500m elevation, this 110-hectare estate occupies pristine territory untouched by agriculture for 300 years.

The philosophy is radical: “The place, not the producer’s ego, is central.” Only 15 hectares are planted to vines, with 16 hectares preserved as Mediterranean forest where semi-wild livestock graze, producing compost naturally. The remaining land grows ancient grains, indigenous chickpeas, and native figs. This holistic approach yields an extraordinary 10% crop vigour compared to 3.5% on conventionally farmed land.

Biodynamic preparations (500, silica, iron, nettle) guide vineyard management, while grape placement follows terroir logic: Syrah on high slopes, Nero d’Avola on exposed rocky sites, Grillo and Sauvignon Blanc mid-slope for freshness. The wines bear no names—simply rosé, white, and red with vintage—letting the place speak for itself. Production: 30,000-40,000 bottles annually.

Feudo Arancio

Named for the medieval orange groves that once covered this land, Feudo Arancio represents large-scale sustainability done right. Now part of the Mezzacorona Group, this 200-hectare estate produces 7 million bottles annually while maintaining organic certification since 2007.

Water management showcases their environmental commitment: natural springs, two estate-fed lakes, plus Lake Arancio provide irrigation only when necessary. The 60-person team hand-manages all vineyard operations except harvest, working across diverse elevations from 120m to 300m where sandy and clay soils create distinct terroir expressions.

Their altitude-driven approach produces two distinct Nero d’Avola styles: a fresh, approachable version from higher vineyards and a complex, concentrated expression from lower, clay-rich sites. Night harvesting for whites (3-9 AM) preserves aromatics, while innovative techniques include post-harvest grape drying on vineyard wires. Even their Pinot Noir, grown near shady forest cover, develops more structure than typical northern Italian versions. The estate also produces premium olive oil from 15 hectares of indigenous varieties.

Mandrarossa

Part of the impressive Settesoli cooperative network (6,000 hectares, 20 million bottles), Mandrarossa emerged in 1999 as the premium expression of this collaborative model, producing 1 million bottles annually from the “Terre dei Sicani” district.
Their scientific approach centers on micro-vinification and the principle of “right grapes on ideal soils,” utilizing five experimental plots across different soil types. This research-driven philosophy, supported by partnerships with the University of Milan, helped establish them as early adopters of international varieties alongside traditional Sicilian ones.

The 11-kilometre territory strip remains completely uncontaminated, supporting both VIVA certification for economic/social sustainability and low environmental impact credentials. Vineyard management combines modern techniques (90% spur-pruned cordon) with traditional methods (10% bush vines), while irrigation covers only half the plantings. Night harvesting for whites runs from midnight to 5 AM, ensuring optimal fruit quality across their diverse portfolio spanning both Menfi and Etna appellations.

Feudi del Piscotto Wine Relais

Established in 2002, Feudi del Pisciotto is strategically located in southeastern Sicily, between the Roman Villa of Piazza Armerina and Caltagirone, a town famous for its ceramics, and just 5 kilometres from the Mediterranean Sea. It’s 44 hectares of vineyards, situated around 250 meters above sea level, that benefit from a unique terroir and climate. The altitude, combined with the nearby coastline, creates moderating influences ideal for producing premium wines.

The estate meticulously cultivates its vineyards, treating them with the care of a botanical garden. This dedication by their viticulturists contributes significantly to the high quality of their wines. Annually, Feudi del Pisciotto produces up to 400,000 bottles.

Their plantings include indigenous Sicilian red grapes such as Nero d’Avola and Frappato, along with international varieties like Merlot, Cabernet, and Pinot Nero. They also feature less common Sicilian grapes like Semillon and Gewürztraminer, used to produce an exceptional Passito dessert wine. These international varieties grown in Sicily exemplify the belief of renowned oenologist Giacomo Tachis that Sicily has the potential to cultivate almost any grape variety successfully, provided expert knowledge and careful viticultural practices are applied.

Gulfi Cantina

Gulfi embodies the true essence of Sicily, crafting distinct wines deeply rooted in their specific origins. Inspired by the mythical love of Eros and Psyche, Gulfi passionately translates Sicily’s beauty into wines of pure pleasure.

Vito Catania carries on his family’s three-generation winemaking heritage with a profound love for wine and his homeland. Since 1996, in Chiaramonte Gulfi within Ragusa’s Monti Iblei, he has expertly blended innovation with ancestral knowledge, focusing on meticulous massal selection and vine cultivation.

Gulfi’s vineyards extend from the Cerasuolo di Vittoria DOCG in Monti Iblei to the Eloro DOC in Pachino, yielding four remarkable Nero d’Avola wines, each defined by its unique terroir. Their portfolio culminates on Etna’s northern slopes in Randazzo, where ancient Nerello Mascalese and Nerello Cappuccio vines flourish at high altitudes.

Gulfi’s philosophy respects nature through traditional, unirrigated bush-vine cultivation, honouring ancestral methods and natural cycles. Their commitment to organic farming stems from a deep respect for both the land and the consumer, celebrating the manual harvest as a time-honoured ritual.

Filippo Magnani

Anteprima della Vernaccia di San Gimignano, discovering a truly unique wine in Tuscany “The White Queen in a Land of Red Kings” – Filippo Magnani

A few weeks ago, experts, wine enthusiasts and the press gathered in the charming town of San Gimignano on February 16th to taste not only the new vintages of Vernaccia di San Gimignano, but also the reserve wines not yet released on the market. 41 wineries and 96 wines were presented to the Italian and international press at the De Grada Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, in the historical centre of San Gimignano.

The following two weekends the wines were also presented to 200 wine trade and wine enthusiasts at the Rocca di Montestaffoli, home of the Vernaccia Wine Experience. Here we had the extraordinary opportunity to meet the “unique, noble and rebellious” White Queen Vernaccia di San Gimignano! This is the only DOCG white wine to be produced in Tuscany where illustrious reds such as Brunello, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano and Chianti Classico usually take centre stage. United by a great passion for this grape and territory, the Consortium celebrated its 50th anniversary last year. It continues to support those who are the custodians and greatest interpreters of an age-old white wine tradition.

During this year’s event, Master of Wine Gabriele Gorelli conducted a Masterclass called “Timeless Vernaccia” with a vertical tasting of vintages going back as far as 1997, which was a wonderful chance to experience the results achieved with this grape over time and appreciate the longevity of the wines. The President of the Consortium described the latest vintage as a record year due to the continuing drought and high temperatures: “These did not, however, prevent Vernaccia di San Gimignano from reacting masterfully, once again, to the year’s climatic challenges, proving that this ancient, native grape variety has evolved in perfect harmony with its terroir.”

The Ancient Hills

As the cradle of white wine production in Tuscany, San Gimigano’s territory is situated completely on hills with variable exposures and altitudes of between 200 and 400m above sea level. Its ancient soils have high concentrations of fossils, shells, calcareous sediments, and clay. This composition is ideal for producing vigorous and mineral-driven white wines, and the unique combinations of all these factors, even in such a small area, make the wines produced in this denomination extremely fascinating and complex. Vernaccia is an ancient grape that, although grown throughout Italy, thrives particularly well here in San Gimignano which has become its spiritual home.  Vernaccia di San Gimignano was the first Italian wine to be granted DOC status in 1966. It was elevated to DOCG status in 1993, confirming its role as the leading white wine in Tuscany.

San Gigmignano, An Alluring Wine Destination

Almost half of San Gimignano is dedicated to farm production (vineyards, olive groves, fruit orchards and grains). It is a place where man and nature have lived together for centuries in a mutual relationship of respect. Tucked away in the Tuscan countryside, San Gimignano warmly welcomes wine enthusiasts from all over the world. It is located almost halfway between Florence and Siena (about 60 and 45 km) and is easily reachable by car or by bus. Historically the town was a place loved by important nobles and political figures of the past who left a trace of their passage, enriching this unique place with culture and art. It is known as the “Town of Towers” because in the first centuries after 1000 AD it was embellished with seventy towers and numerous palaces, built by the many wealthy families to display their wealth and power. Today 14 towers remain to create an unmistakable silhouette overlooking the surrounding Tuscan hills.

Orcia DOC – A fascinating wine territory in the heart of Tuscany – Filippo Magnani

“The most beautiful wine in the world” is the appropriate tagline chosen by the Val d’Orcia region to promote its wines. My recent visit showed me that their quality is steadily increasing, surprisingly even in terms of how they define their territorial identity.

It is hard to find a nicer place to visit than the ‘beautiful’ Val d’Orcia, during any season of the year. Even on rainy days, a subtle fog hints romantically at the graceful profile of the rolling hills, sketched by lines of vines or olive trees, each one crowned with its own row of cypresses.

There are multiple treats for everyone: active holiday lovers can choose between the paths once walked by pilgrims on their journey to Rome (the so named “Via Francigena”, which is the Italian version of the Camino de Santiago). There are plenty of friendly hotels, all of them located in charming surroundings. Some of them welcome their guests directly in tiny, middle-aged villages that are cozy, and relaxed.

The mighty profile of Mount Amiata (an extinct volcano) provides opportunities from a hike or a bicycle ride to an alpine landscape, through silent forests of narrow trees, where it is not uncommon to meet deer, wild boar and foxes. In the winter it is possible to ski and take in the stunning views, on a clear day, from the easily reachable peak.

What better way to relax after an active day than in the historic hot springs of Bagno Vignoni or Bagni San Filippo with their freely accessible pools or luxury hotels equipped with all the comforts of a well-organized spa. Alternatively, you can choose to visit the surrounding towns, literally filled with Renaissance treasures: like San Quirico d’Orcia, or the “ideal city” of Pienza, redesigned by the humanist Pope Pius II who was born there. Cinema enthusiasts will also find locations where blockbuster movies like “The Gladiator” or “The English Patient” were filmed. For photography lovers, there are plenty of spots where they can create personal postcards, easily recognizable by the line of cars always parked along the country roads! Not to mention the renowned villages of Montepulciano and Montalcino that are also close by.

As for the gourmet traveler, the region’s local products can satisfy even the most discerning palate. Truffle hunting is an everyday activity, and visitors can have the opportunity to share in the deep love these truffle searchers have for their territory (they are the primary protectors of this natural environment). When the precious underground fruit is found by their trained dogs, whose loving relationships with their owners is touching, the enthusiasm that ensues is infectious. Local restaurants are the first to champion these treasures with homemade recipes based on pasta, game or the local tasty pecorino cheese. Dairy producers in the area can also be visited.

And then, like a jewel in the crown that shines ever more brightly, there is the wine! Orcia DOC is a small denomination in terms of production, but its territory is vastly spread out, maybe even too much so, encompassing the administrative boundaries of twelve municipalities. Consequently, there are significant differences in elevation, soil composition, exposure, and everything that influences the organoleptic features of its products. So far, total production counts less than one million bottles, divided between many relatively small family-run estates, with a few exceptions of outside investors who are nonetheless deeply involved in the promotion of the denomination, by joining its council, etc. There is still room for relevant growth, maybe even by an order of magnitude.

Their approach highlights the primary role of the Sangiovese grape, with a dedicated category. Some producers (but not many) have experimented with the native variety Foglia Tonda, as a potential flagship grape of the area, but so far, they have only arisen curiosity more than real interest. The Orcia Sangiovese Reserva ambitiously requires two years of barrel aging, and we can happily admit that in our tastings we found more than one label where the oak influence is harmoniously integrated, a feature that in late years has improved significantly.

However, it is much harder to define what to expect from an Orcia wine, or better yet what it is or should be in terms of flavours, aging potential, etc. Terroir features and vineyard location are too fragmented to be able to answer such a question.

But there is one element that helps shed some light – There is a friendly atmosphere and genuine enthusiasm. Territory interpretations might be different, especially because there can be large discrepancies in resources for both work in the vineyards and in the cellars. The importance of the human factor in the alchemy of terroir expression should not be overlooked. Wines display superior finesse and focus when they harness the most meaningful features of soil and climate, with the common goal of matching body and ripeness to the tension of Sangiovese’s acidity. This results in an impressive balance that makes each sip simultaneously carefree and captivating. Without the necessary human dedication and deep awareness that the denomination has the potential to develop in this way, such an achievement would not have been possible. The most recent accolades from wine critics, Italian guides and other wine professionals prove that this effort, which has grown naturally (also through discussions between the producers, group tastings, etc.), has been properly acknowledged.

So human commitment is probably the real strength of the Orcia DOC. Producers work passionately to improve their wines and are eager to show their efforts to wine lovers (every estate, big or small is tendentially well-organized to welcome visitors). So far tours to the wineries are limited. But I think that in the future they will become even more attractive, and more widely chosen.

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@podereforte @ConsorzioVinoOrcia

What to expect from Italy’s 2022 vintage – from Alto Adige to Sicily

Italy’s 2022 vintage has needed a great deal of tactical and strategical interventions from its winemakers to reach its peak. Filippo Bartolotta speaks to producers about what can be expected from this year’s crop.

It is that time of the year when the power of grapes to become wine is about to take place – harvest time!

For 8,000 years, mankind has been actively nursing the vine, waiting each year to ignite and assist the transition of the fruit into our beloved vino. Wine is the perfect mirror of the unique relationships among nature, grape varieties and human factors which every region manifests with a strong sense of place or what we know as terroir.

Every year though terroir’s many factors undergo a deep reshuffle due to the behaviour of that particular vintage – and the 2022 vintage in Italy has asked a great deal of tactical and strategical interventions from its winemakers to complete the annual cycle.

Forecasting a vintage is always something of a gamble at the beginning of August as anything can still happen. As I write this article, for example, Italy has started to see both drought-saving rains as well as violent water bombs and hail storms destroying much of the work done till now.

So although is still early, we can draw a pretty accurate picture of what has been happening and attempt a few outcomes.

The winter was quite regular with good annual snowpack levels in the Alpine regions and enough rains across the central and southern regions. Signs of dramatic drought only started to show with the unprecedented heat wave that had already melted the snow by the end of May and an absence of rain for over a hundred days.

But the vine and the wine world always show remarkable levels of resistance, resilience and an effective reaction to critical vintages.

Luckily, the lesson learned by wine producers from the monstrously hot 2003 vintage increased awareness of vine defence systems against heat and agronomical practices were subsequently studied included soil enrichment, foliage protection against transpiration and sun burn, vigorous rootstocks with deeper root systems and state-of-the-art irrigation methods (when allowed by the appellation and when there’s water available!).

But the best way to understand how a vintage and its harvest is going is to ask people on ground.

Alto Adige

Alto Adige was hit by the absence of rain and really high temperatures but its mountain are a secret weapon, “our great ally”, the President of the Consorzio Alto Adige Andreas Kofler says.

“The altitude is offering a high array of thermal excursions beneficial for our vines. We are hoping for a cooler September to retain acidity and freshness. This is a hot vintage with a couple of weeks of anticipation which will result quite interesting for the reds,” he said.

Kellermeister Andrea Moser of Cantina Kaltern noted that drought was managed largely through leaf management, to protect the berries from the sun during veraison to avoid the loss of anthocians, tannins, aromas and acidity. “This way we are getting to a proper phenological and technical maturation,” he said. “Some late July rains helped for a more consistent veraison and, keeping our fingers crossed, we will be harvesting at the beginning of September, a week in advance compared to 2021.”

Cantina Terlano and Cantina Andriano, overlooking each other from the two opposite sides of Val d’Adige reports a similar approach.

Rudi Kofler, head wine maker at both wineries is confident the vine has been reacting pretty well to the heat and he sees an 10 days anticipation. “We have been trimming leaves less than usual to provide coverage against the sun and we have been taking advantage of the investment in drip irrigation Alto Adige has been carrying out for many years now,” he explained. “We see healthy grapes with less yields per hectare. Thanks to the temperature drop of the recent days we are cautiously optimistic, but we still have to wait.”

Trentino

Trentino has seen a slightly different situation, with Anselmo Guerrieri Gonzaga, owner of the beautiful and historical estate of San Leonardo explaining that there was no stress for the vines.

“San Leonardo is set between mounts Baldo and Lessini and this overcasts a refreshing shade for at least four hours every day,” he explained. “This is a paramount factor to retain elegance and freshness in our wines. We are also noticing a very generous crop for an abundant harvest which should kick-off on the 10th of September.”

Anselmo Guarrieri Gonzaga

Harvest is set to start at Cembra, Cantina di Montagna, near Trento next week, where the altitude is as high as 900m above sea level.

Managing director, Ezio Dallagiacoma notes that the high temperatures bought an anticipation of maturation – and a mid-August harvest – in sight. “We are expecting to see wines with a lot of structure but still with the fresh mountain touch,” he said.

Veneto

“The almost absence of rain in winter and spring brought a late bud break and an unusual ten days early flowering of the vines,” Andrea Sartori of Sartori di Verona explains about his vineyard in Valpolicella and Soave.

“The bunches though look pretty healthy and not too compact making the selection of the best berries easier than usual. in the long run we will have to think more seriously about irrigation but so far with a little help of some scattered rains harvest 2022 looks better than expected.”

Talking to Pierangelo Tomassi of Tommasi Family Estates, which has its head quarter in Verona but farms 700 hectares across the length and breadth of Italy (the last harvest takes place in Vulture with the Aglianico) was particularly interesting, as he could provide an overview of the whole of Italy.

“Drought and heat were the common denominators of the year across the country. It was a tough vintage but where we had irrigation, we are getting far better results,” Tommasi said. “The harvest has just started, so we can’t say too much but it looks like we are going to have around 15% less in quantity overall. If the weather doesn’t go crazy this lower quantity should bring some nice wines though.”

Lombardia

Guido Berlucchi, started the harvest on the 3rd of August with the Brolo ‘clos’ of Pinot Nero. Winemaker and owner Arturo Ziliani described it as “a one-of-a-kind harvest with so much heat during the summer that it gave us good healthy grapes, although with possibly lower yields per hectare given the smaller size of the berries.”

Moving south in Oltrepò Pavese, in the Lombardia region – Italy’s most important district of Pinot Noir, with around 3,000 hectares of vines – we talked to two wine makers, Ottavia Giorgi Vistarino and Francesca Seralvo.

Ottavia Vistarino, owner of Conte Vistarino argued that despite the low rain, they didn’t experience too much stress on the vines as the ones on sandier soil. “We have been fighting drought keeping our vineyards with every either vine inter-row soil tillage and very few toppings”, he said.

Meanwhile Francesca Seralvo from Tenuta Mazzolino was unfiltered in her opinion.

Francesca Seralvo

“Hot and dry, it the vintage was worse than 2003!” she exclaimed. “We have been working hard like never before to do anything to keep the vines in balance. I’ve got to be honest that I am actually taken aback by the harmony our vines seem to have found despite the total lack of water. We are going to harvest much less than ever and yet the quality is good. We harvested already our Chardonnay – a tiny production of very juicy fruit.”

Piemonte

It was not an easy season in Piemonte. The winter was colder than in either 2020 or 2021 but it was also very dry with very little snow and the first serious rain fell at the end of May.

Up-and-coming talented wine producer Federica Boffa Pio of Pio Cesare notes that while waiting for the rain to arrive, the team worked the vineyards throughout the winter months in order to get as much nutrition for the soils as possible.

“Later on we protected the berries from the scolding sun and reduced the yields quite a bit which will result in a not very productive vintage,” he says. “Harvest should take place in a week for the whites and the end of September for the Nebbiolo.”

Tuscany

Meanwhile in Tuscany, contingency plans are going well, says Francesco Ricasoli, of Ricasoli in Brolio-Gaiole, Chianti Classico. “Right now we are still experiencing important vineyard stress particularly on the pebble-based soils where the roots do not seem to be able to push deeper in search for water,” he explains. “We had to go for special emergency irrigation for the younger vines.”

Still in Chianti Classico, but in Greve in Chianti on the Florentine side, the François family of Castello di Querceto are very happy about how the whole appellation reacted to the drought.

“The natural cooling system offers by the forest (out of 70,000 hectares of the Chianti Classico appellation only 10% is vineyards) and the good work for the water reservoirs held a lot,” Alessandro François told me. “Our vines are high on the hills and as a result they parents struggling much, but now we do need rain.”

In Castellina in Chianti, Léon Femfert of Nittardi said working the soil in winter and adding spontaneous vegetation as bedding to retain humidity in the soil had “never been more important”.

“So far our crop seems abundant with grapes full of good polyphenols anticipating a great structure Chianti Classico,” he said.

Calogero Portannese managing director of Tenuta di Trinoro in Sarteano, in the heart of Unesco site Val d’Orcia noted that it was fortunate to be between Mount Amiata and Mount Cetona. “This brings 20 degrees thermal excursion between day and night, while the godsend rain at the end of July did the rest,” he said.

Emilia Nardi, owner of Tenute Silvio Nardi in Montalcino has been doing everything possible to reduce the stress for the vines. ”Organic kaolinite (a type of white clay) was used on the leaves to reduce transpiration reflecting light away,” he explains. “We have smaller berries with a good quality so we are expecting less but good”.

Calabria

Not everything about the drought has been bad for the vine though, according to Calabria Librandi. While Paolo Librandi would have loved a little rain to ease the life of the vines and produce a bit more, he seems happy about the healthy conditions of the grapes, which have seen the least amount of treatment ever.

“We are harvesting right now quite a bit in advance. It looks like a good vintage for the quantity with some smaller grapes, more concentration, above all in the red wines. The indigenous white varieties look good with healthy grapes,” he says. “But I have to be honest that a little rain would make everyone happier and give a little more quantity. But given the drought, it is quite impressive the health conditions of the grapes all across the Cirò area with only 3/4 treatments throughout the year!”

Sicily

According to Consorzio Doc Sicilia, Sicily is likely to record almost 15% less production for 2022, than in 2021, but with an amazing quality. The Consorzio’s president Antonio Rallo notes that harvest starts this week and will finish in October, making it the longest harvest in Italy, of over 100 days.

Mount Etna producer Passopisciaro notes that despite more than two and a half months of heat wave with no rain, the vines seem ok.  “We are noticing how our single vineyards Etna DOC hundred years old vines are actually in wonderful state, a little ahead of schedule but possibly very good fruit,” managing director Vincenzo Lo Mauro says.

Resilience

The lack of water over the last few months and the high temperatures have been driving producers a little crazy and many are scared about the future outcomes if vintages continue to be as hot.  However vine growers and the wine-makers seem to be well equipped to face this threat, and in some ways it is remarkable how well the system has performed in the face of this challenge.  Of course production is likely to be smaller overall, with smaller berries and more concentration but this has meant fewer treatments needed to fight any presence of pests or moulds.

However, with harvest only just starting, this is only the beginning of the story of this hot 2022 vintage, we will have to wait until the beginning of November for its conclusion.

Sources:
Filippo Bartolotta
Drinks Business

 

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