“Despite the extreme climate, the interventions in the vineyard have had an effect. We have used processing techniques that can only be done manually and that allow us to guarantee exceptional quality even if at high costs.”
This is stated by Sandro Bottega, wine entrepreneur and head of the historic company Bottega SpA of Bibano (TV), one of the leaders in Italy for the production of Prosecco .
“In the Prosecco area, after persistent rains and lower than average temperatures in the months of May and June, the month of July was characterized by very high temperatures. At the moment – continues Sandro Bottega – the grapes are ripening well, even if the persistence of very hot temperatures could result in a slowdown in the ripening process. The harvest is expected to take place around September 10. It should be emphasized that in June we still enjoyed a strong temperature range between daytime and nighttime hours for a few days, which facilitated the development of aromatic substances. It follows that, also thanks to the high temperatures in July and our interventions in the vineyard, we should be looking at a vintage of exceptional quality”. “In the coming weeks, the only risk factor, now structural in every wine-growing area, is linked to storms or in any case to extreme weather conditions that in the Prosecco area as in other areas could cause a reduction in production. In our vineyards – adds Bottega – for years now we have reintroduced the classic “green manure” technique. It is a capillary grassing of different species, which contributes greatly to absorbing any excess water and developing biodiversity. The vine, to be able to give the best of itself, needs harmony and balance, in this case therefore it is necessary to intervene and prevent, preferably with natural methods, such as “green manure”». «The excessive heat of these last weeks, as far as we are concerned, has been partly tempered by the more developed foliage that has partially protected the bunches from direct sunlight developed by our agronomists with an ad hoc study to intervene on the plants and increase their leafy growth. We expect a high-level vintage not only in terms of quality, but also in terms of quantity. It would be very important for the entire Prosecco world to have a new vintage with adequate quantities both because the sparkling wine market requires it, and because 2023 was particularly poor», concludes Sandro Bottega.