~ Vineyards on the Caprili Estate ~
Welcome to my Annual Harvest Report, 2026.
Each growing season, I create this exclusive feature piece to document the weekly progress of the vendemmia across Italy. I will be getting “on the ground”up to date photos and winemaker commentary to share regularly over the next few months. When I get it, you’ll have it.
Like past years, as updates to this article are warranted, they will be added to the initial version. In that fashion, this will become a “living breathing” document. Bookmark it, and refer back to it regularly and in years to come.
Harvest Report 2026 – Initial Impressions
The conditions to begin the growing season began ordinarily enough. The Winter of 25/26 was fairly even across Italy with snow and precipitation beneficial to the vines. As Spring arrived, so did the early warming trend that has not been unusual in recent years. March blossomed and the vines awoke too soon. When temperatures fell to normal in early April, frost became a concern. There was sporadic, if not mild damage to some vineyards. Bullet one dodged.
In mid-late May, it began raining for seemingly 2-3 weeks. With the disastrous 2023 vintage still at the forefront of many minds, vineyard workers hurriedly began applying treatments to vineyards and thinning vine foliage in an effort to ward off any plant diseases. By early June, the rain had abated and the methods were successful. Bullet two dodged.
~ This graph shows the temperature and humidity from 6/15 to 7/15. Where the red line is above the green line, the vines are stressed due to the heat. Red is minimum and maximum temperature while the blue is min/max humidity. Courtesy: Campochiarenti ~
Fast forward to late June and into July. The rains stopped except for typical Summer thunderstorms. These were very frequent at the end of June and many spawned localized hail storms. There is nothing worse for a wine grower. Although damage was reported, it was localized and not that severe. Bullet three dodged.
The battle now is the temperature and the drought. The vines are holding up well, but it’s been 2+ weeks without rain. The water reserves obtained from the early June rains have now been absorbed. So, we hang in the balance.
Winemakers from Morellino to San Gimignano and points north to Piemonte estimate the growing season is 10 days in advance at the moment. The next few weeks will be very important.
Harvest Report 2026 – In Pictures
Let’s start with some interesting photos sent in by Davide at Fattoria Lornano. Lornano is located in Monteriggioni, but their vineyards are located in the Castellina Commune.
~ Looking down the vine rows at Lornano we notice two things: 1) the green canopy at the top of the vines to shield from the sun and 2) the clear area underneath where breezes can reach the grapes to ward off fungal diseases ~
In this next image from Lornano, we get a closer look at the vine rows. You can see the rough tilled dirt between the rows. This is done for a reason. The uneven and unsure footing are disliked by the deer. It’s an easy, if not low-tech, way to try and ward off the poachers.
~ Gorgeous sky, healthy vines ~
And now the grapes. As a result of the recent weeks with spiked temperatures and lack of rain, these grapes have begun “invaiatura”- the beginning of ripening.
~ Look at the array of colors already on this cluster ~
In this photo, you can two things of note. First, the amount of protection from shade the canopy is providing to the grapes and second, the leaves with the raised spots. This is a leaf disease that does not impact the health of the vine or the grapes, nor does it spread. It’s a mild disease from mites.
The next image is from Gagliole.
Alessia sent this along with the following report: “This cluster is from the Leccio terraces in Castellina and it really shows how hot it’s been. We are probably about 10 days early right now. That said, the vineyards are looking very good at the moment. The vines have responded well to the heat and are showing great resilience; especially the Sangiovese and Trebbiano. In Castellina we had about 60mm of rain in June but in Panzano only 15mm fell. We have not tilled the soil or trimmed the canopy until now.”
~ The terraced vineyards at Gagliole are among their oldest plots ~
We will come back to Tuscany shortly, but I’ve also got two early images from Sicily and Piemonte to share. In the first picture below, the canopy is thick and lush. There is not a grape in sight; crucially important for the heat that can generally grip Sicily.
~ This photo was taken July 13th at Planeta. On the island of Sicily it’s interesting to see the lack of cover grass or crops between the vine rows ~
Chiara Boschis sent this picture today.
~ Mosconi is one of my favorite vineyards for Barolo. It’s amazing that this far north invaiatura has begun ~
From Carmignano, Silvia Vannucci sent this report in. “As you know, we are a bit further northwest of Firenze. Here we have not had any issues to date from either hail or frost. The vines are not yet stressed because of the wonderful Spring rains, but we need some water soon. Cabernet and Cabernet Franc and doing well right now but the few weeks are very important. They are still both completely green. But the Sangiovese, look!”
~ Look how far along this Sangiovese is at Piaggia. Carmignano lies to the west of Firenze. July 16, 2026 ~
Here’s another shot of Sangiovese. This one a bit more erratic in its ripenening.
~ Piaggia Sangiovese in Carmignano: 7/16/2026 ~
Finally, an overall image of the Il Sasso vineyard at Piaggia.
~ Il Sasso is a great vineyard. Excellent exposition which provides fruit for Carmignano “Il Sasso” and also the Piaggia Riserva ~
From Bolgheri, our friend Giacomo Satta posted this video with his vineyard manager Matteo discussing whether or not to trim the top canopy of the vines. Canopy Trimming at Michele Satta.
Now we are going back to Chianti, and the Colli Senesi of good friend Daniele Rosti. This photo was taken about 3 days ago and are Sangiovese. You can see trace remains of kaolin that was sprayed to reflect heat from the foliage and of course, the deer netting is plainly visible.
~ These are healthy grapes on 7/12 which you can see are protected by deer netting ~
Daniele hasn’t had any Sangiovese begin invaiatura as of today, 7/15. However, the next two images of Ciliegiolo and Colorino clearly are advancing rapidly.
~ Campochiarenti Ciliegiolo on 7/14/2026 ~
And…
~ Campochiarenti Colorino on 7/15/2026 ~
Despite all the precautions, kaolin, canopy management, trimming, etc… the vines are not without damage from the heat. This picture is all too familiar over the past several vintages. Vernaccia, on 7/15/2026. The larger, more mature berries are fine. But the immature berries were lost to the heat. This not only reduces yield, but it makes hand selecting all the more critical and much more difficult come harvest.
~ Vernaccia hanging at Campochiarenti ~
Heading back to Montalcino, we see healthy growing clusters from Poggio Antico’s highest vineyard. This was sent in just over a week ago. Grazie Riccardo for sending this one along.
~ Late afternoon sunlight illuminates these Sangiovese Grosso grapes at Poggio Antico ~
I spoke to Elisa Fanti earlier today and she is cautiously optimistic. “The grapes are absolutely beautiful , no problems so far. But we’re starting to feel a bit of drought now; it’s very hot and it hasn’t rained in a long time. Can you believe we already have grapes turning red in the southern vineyards and it’s very early for that. Let’s hope the weather cools down and we get some rain soon.”
Finally, to close part one we visit with Chiara Condello in Emilia Romagna. Chiara Condello is a rising star winemaker in Sangiovese. But she isn’t from Tuscany. Condello is re-defining what Sangiovese can be in Emilia Romagna. And that, is excellent. I think her wines would not be mistaken for Tuscan Sangiovese. It is hard to pinpoint, but they taste differently.
At any rate, her Le Lucciole vineyard, from where she sources her Riserva fruit, is in very good shape as of earlier this month. The picture below illustrates, yet again, the care that is taken to shade the grapes from the strength of the sun.
~ Sangiovese hanging in the Le Lucciole Vineyard on July 10th ~
That’s the end of this initial installment. Check back often for updates as the growing season progresses.
Salute!
