Changing climate, quality that remains Hope for a good year for the Amarone Classico from the hills The “Festa della Vendemmia” event awaited on September 14th at Masi Tenuta Canova.
After the first harvest of 2024 in Argentina in Tupungato in March, Masi Agricola has started the harvest in its vineyards in the Veneto and Tuscany a few days ago . The early varieties in Trentino, Veneto and Friuli have already been harvested for more than ten days.
The notes from the vineyard of the Masi Technical Group photograph the general trend for the 2024 wine year in northern and central Italy. The winter was milder than usual in terms of both minimum and maximum temperatures. Spring was particularly variable with an April characterized by contrasting weather conditions: the first weeks recorded almost summer-like temperatures, well above the seasonal average, while the following weeks were colder, almost winter-like, with late frosts that caused a reduction in yields in some valley floor vineyards in the north-east.
The summer created notable differences between the vineyards in the north and those in central/Tuscany: in the north with continuous rainfall until the month of July and in the center-south with constant water stress. The rains in the north favored lush vegetation with constant wetting of the foliage and humid soils with consequent risk of cryptogamic attacks. The promptness of intervention and the suitable areas, where stagnation is reduced, meant that the damage in the Group’s main vineyards was very limited. The month of August recorded temperatures strongly above average in both minimum and maximum temperatures, therefore, a metabolic increase in the vine was recorded; to date, ripening is earlier than average and also in relation to 2023, with strong variability depending on the age of the vineyards and their positioning.
“ Unfortunately, the growing season gives us a clear vision of the climate changes taking place and of an irreversible trend. Extreme phenomena, unpredictable variations and early harvests. In these conditions, the vocation of the historic and hilly areas makes the difference, where the soil conditions, the greater day/night temperature range, the historic marriage of the land with its own varieties of choice, together with the traditional training system, in our case pergola, manage to mitigate the negative impacts. This is proven by recent studies by our Technical Group with the team of Prof. Brancadoro of the State University of Milan, ” comments Sandro Boscaini, President of Masi known as Mister Amarone . “ For the Appassimento wines and Amarone, to which Masi dedicates particular, competent care, we expect a good harvest in Valpolicella Classica, even if not abundant. We still have a couple of weeks of trepidation, hoping that adverse weather does not compromise the harvest at the last minute.”
MASI SITES IN VENICE AND TUSCANY
Veneto – Valpolicella: in the Classica area the grapes are ripening regularly and are healthy and uniform. Monitoring indicates a gradual increase in sugar and phenolic content.
The harvest is expected to begin within the first ten days of September for the low hill areas, in Campofiorin , in the Serego Alighieri vineyards in Gargagnago and in the legendary Vaio Armaron . The harvest will then continue in the hill vineyards, in the Costasera vineyards and in the crus of the great Amarones: Mazzano, Campolongo di Torbe and Vaio dei Masi .
Veneto – Lake Garda: the Tenuta Canova vineyards in Lazise were affected by root asphyxia and thermal stress with temperatures above 37 degrees on some days in August. The perfect phenolic ripening of the Corvina, Rondinella and Corvinone grapes is expected from September 9th.
Veneto – Soave: the grapes are in excellent health, they are sparse and begin to take on the typical color of Garganega when ripe; the harvest, strictly manual, both for the Soave Classico Levarie and in the organic vineyard Colbaraca , is expected from September 12th.
Veneto – Lugana: the quantity is slightly below the historical average, penalized again this year by the hail of 2023. Overall the grapes are healthy and qualitative by virtue of a scrupulous commitment to maintaining organic cultivation in the Lunatio and Beldosso vineyards.
Veneto – Valdobbiadene: the vineyards of Tenuta Canevel were affected by a light summer hailstorm, whose wounds were healed thanks to the dry weather in August. Therefore, there is a slight drop in production but no compromise in the quality of the harvest. The harvest will begin in the second week of September for the harvest intended for the Setàge sparkling wine and for the Terre del Faé and Campofalco crus.
Trentino – Rovereto: in the Tenuta Conti Bossi Fedrigotti estate, the grapes for the Conte Federico Trento doc sparkling wine base have already been harvested since mid-August, but production drops have been observed following the drop in temperatures at the end of April. The harvest of pinot grigio for the production of Pian del Griso and chardonnay for Vign’Asmara is currently underway. The harvest of red grapes destined for Fojaneghe, Mas’Est, both Teroldego and Marzemino, will begin at the beginning of September.
Friuli – Castrion di Strada : the harvest began on August 20th for the Pinot Grigio grapes destined for Masianco , followed by the other white and red varieties from the first days of September. The grapes have balanced parameters and a good accumulation of sugar and phenolic compounds.
Oltrepò Pavese: in the Tenuta Casa Re , acquired by the Masi Group last September 2023, the harvest of the Pinot Nero grapes began on August 20 and analytical values were found that were adequate for the technological maturity of the grapes suitable for the production of Moxxè del Re Pinot Nero Metodo Classico Oltrepò Pavese docg . Sporadic attacks of powdery mildew in the last part of the season penalized the potential quantities.
Tuscany: in Val D’Orcia, in the Tenuta dei Poderi del Bello Ovile Serego Alighieri, which has been organically farmed for years, the water stress that has characterized central and southern Italy has also partially affected the Vermentino vineyards, already being harvested, as well as the Sangiovese, Canaiolo and Ciliegiolo vineyards, where the harvest is scheduled for early September.