Harvest Report 2024

~ Tuscan Vines window on Harvest Report 2024 ~

~~~ UPDATE Numero Uno!   August 27th ~~~

It’s a been a full 20 days since my original report published and at the time, I had just returned from Italy.  Every winemaker I spoke to repeated the them then:  “Let’s see what August brings.”   Now I’m on the cusp of returning to Italy for the Rustic Tuscany Tour and August has been a bit of a mixed bag.

The main issues have been the heat and the animals.  And the animals and the heat!  There have been some erratic weather events – storms and rain – but for the most part, damaging winds and hail have been avoided or are not widespread.

White grapes are coming in now or have already been harvested in many places.  So what was true then still remains true.  Let’s see how August finishes and the first two weeks of September begin.  Let’s get to it!

The first picture here was sent by my friend Giacomo Satta, always the prankster,  on August 16th.

~ We start in Maremma where the harvest always begins for Tuscany. Here is Giacomo Satta, of Michele Satta, mugging with some excellent looking Sauvignon Blanc ~

~ Harvest is also underway at Ornellaia where Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc are being picked ~

It’s not only Maremma where whites are coming in.  In southern Tuscany, Chardonnay has been harvested for sparking wines; and this is also the case in Umbria!

~ The team at Scacciadiavoli in Montefalco taking a break after completing their Pinot Noir harvest for their sparkling wine ~

We return to Tuscany for the next series of pictures.  In the lower lying, southerly portions of Chianti Classico, harvest is approaching rapidly.  But for comparison, I spoke to Daniele Rosti of Campochiarenti today and he told me that they are still estimating harvest to be the second half of September.

~ Unfortunately, the deer think Daniele’s grapes are delicious. They are right, of course. But we don’t want to see this ~

Yet, luckily Daniele has enough fruit that he has protected with netting.  The next series of pictures are his Sangiovese that is doing nicely despite the challenges.

~ Gorgeous fruit ripening at Campochiarenti ~

~ Another gorgeous cluster that is on the way. This was a few weeks ago ~

~ This is an excellent illustration of how Campochiarenti is using the vines foliage to shade the grapes. Again, this is Sangiovese ~

Across Chianti Classico, a few images have come in.  There are some beautiful grapes in these shots.  Let’s hope the alcohol levels are ultimately in balance given the heat the area has endured.

~ These are amazing looking Sangiovese grapes ripening at Piemaggio in Castellina in Chianti ~

And now, we go further south yet to Montalcino.  Friends at Caprili and San Polo are waiting patiently and in the meantime, have sent a few pictures in.

~ This is Sangiovese Grosso hanging at Caprili on August 9th ~

The next image is from San Polo, which is in the same general area as Caprili.

~ Again, beautiful grapes here being shaded atop from the leaves. However, you can see the impact of the heat on the vines where brown leaves are visible ~

That will do it for this update.  The next update I will likely provide will be from on the ground in Italy.  So stay tuned!

Harvest Report 2024 is here!  

But if I can digress for a moment….

Every year I publish this “Photo Essay” in real time, as winemakers contact me with commentary and photos.  And every year, including this one,  I always think to myself – it’s getting late – you need to start putting this together.  Yet when I look back on Harvest Report 2023,  I’m actually ahead in timing.

So with that said, Ecco Vendemmia!

Harvest Report 2024 – Early Vintage Character

After last year’s debacle of a vintage – one whose nature was derided by each and every winemaker we met on the Rustic Tuscany Tour –  this year is beginning in a much more even fashion.  That’s not to say there haven’t been challenges.

Back in May, I attended the 100th Anniversary tasting of the Chianti Classico Consorzio.  It only took until my first stop, at Coltibuono, before Roberto Stucchi told me he had lost 45% of his production to a fierce hail storm.  Though hail hasn’t been as widespread this year as last,  the frequency of the occurrences seems to be more often.   The good thing is, hail is localized. So sometimes the bullet can be dodged.

Additionally,  April started with early bud break again, and some places did have frost damage.  Again, this was not as widespread as 2017 or 2023, but it did cause 10-20% crop reductions in certain areas.

May proceeded fairly well in most places. The weather warmed and although it was mostly dry, the vines started growing well and had some reserves of winter water to draw on.  Then in June, the rains came.  Producers began fearing a repeat of 2023 as it rained nearly every day in June.  During this time, I had a Zoom call with Chiara Condello and she told us that she had more rain in June then she had all year in 2022.  As a result, producers took to spraying organically, mostly copper sulfate, to reduce the risk of mold, fungus and mildew attacking the vines.

~ In this image, you can see frost damage on this vine. It’s noted on the small leaf which has browning & on the tendril growing nearby. This will only continue to brown and shrivel. No production this year from that vine ~

Fortunately,  with July the rains relented and owing to producers diligent efforts, the worst case scenarios were avoided.  But July brought a new challenge.  Heat and drought.  I was in Tuscany for 2 weeks in July.  Every day was hot.  I walked, observed and stayed within vineyards.  Overall, they seem to have adapted well.  While temperatures routinely topped 95 and even 100 degrees, vineyard management and nature’s adaptation seem to be working.  Overall, the vineyards are healthy and handling what has become the new normal very well.

~ This is also the new normal. In this image from Daniele at Campochiarenti, the vine foliage is sprayed with a natural compound called kaolin. Kaolin is derived from clay and acts to reflect sunlight off the vines. Also note the thickness of the foliage! Look at the bottom, there are grapes under there…. ~

Kaolin use is fairly widespread across Italy.  It isn’t cheap – to purchase or apply – but it does combat the strong rays of the sun from burning the vines and clusters.  The Rustic Tuscany Tour for 2024 is only a few weeks away as of this writing.  I look forward to getting additional “on the ground” updates about Harvest 2024.  When I left in July,  most winemakers said  “August will tell the tale” – and crossed fingers.  Let’s hope.  And now, some excellent images of vendemmia thus far.

Sticking near San Gimignano, the next few images are from Daniele Rosti.

~ This is Colorino at Campochiarenti as of August 6th ~

The next image, also from August 6th, is Sangiovese.

~ This is veraison in full swing. ~

Although the weather presents challenges, they can mostly be mitigated.  This next image, not so much.

~ The deer have a fondness for Campochiarenti’s Vernaccia ~

Travelling a bit North of Tuscany, we have some images sent in by Chiara Boschis in Piedmont.  These two images present a good view of the maturation.  The first, was sent July 24th.

~ This is Dolcetto just a few weeks ago. Note, not a single berry has started to turn color ~

The next image is from August 5th.  (that’s yesterday!)

~ Dolcetto, at Chiara Boschis 8/5/2024 ~

The next three images are interesting as well.  They represent grapes photographed on the same day – in the same area (in this case Castelnuovo) but of three different varietals.  They were labeled by our friends at Tolaini and taken on August 4th.

~ Tolaini Sangiovese ~

~ Merlot. Tolaini makes an amazing Merlot IGT called Picconero ~

~ The Cabernet, a later maturer, is much more spotty ~

~ The corner of the Capella at Campochiarenti ~

Now we head further South to Montalcino, and then further south still….

This image has quite a bit going on.  It was taken at Azienda Ferrero – a small 3 hectare estate carved from the larger Banfi Estate many years ago.  It is run by Pablo Harri and his wife Claudia.  Pablo was the chief Banfi winemaker for 17+ years.

Secondly, you can see the powdery spots on the grapes and leaves;  again sprayed with Kaolin.

~ In this image, sent by winemaker Claudia Ferrero, we see Sangiovese Grosso ripening nicely ~

This next image was also taken August 5th.   It shows Cannonau on Sardinia at Pala.  I spoke to winemaker Fabio Angius and he told me that they could be harvesting in as little as a week’s time.

~ This image is so interesting. First, you note all the berries have turned and they are deepening in color. Secondly, again, you note the remnants of kaolin. Finally, you see the at the base of the vine, some of the leaves are browning. They are 2-3 weeks ahead on Sardinia compared to mainland Italy ~

Finally, another image from my dear friend Elisa Fanti.  This was taken on July 30th, so if we’re lucky, maybe Rustic Tuscany Tour guests will taste some 2024 Vino AAD Brunello on the trip this year.  I suspect much of brunello will be in tank by the time we arrive.

~ Gorgeous looking color on this Sangiovese Grosso. Tenuta Fanti is in Castelnuovo dell’Abate ~

That will due it for the intial installment.  Let’s see what August brings and hope for some nice weather.

Salute!