2005 Harvesting

The 2005 harvest will certainly be remembered for the heavy September rainfall which risked to jeopardize a harvest with the prerogatives of a great vintage.

The climatic trend was sometimes strange owing to a cold, comparatively dry, but long winter characterized by a final series of low temperatures followed, late in spring, by anticipated, persistent and very hot weather.

Summer then presented a series of daily temperatures above the average and remarkable night temperature ranges, with shortage of rainfall.

This situation caused ,in the vineyards, first a delayed vegetation with a difficult setting, and then a sudden recovery with accelerated grapes darkening and ripening, which brought about nearly normal harvesting times.

As usual, the whole game was played in September when the heavy and persistent rains jeopardized the health of the grapes unable to hold because of the preceding months’ climatic trend.

The harvesting was, therefore, carried out “hastily” in order to avoid the dangers of heavy rainfall to what could be foreseen as a favourable harvest.

The wines

I’m convinced that the 2005 vintage will be remembered as one of the most surprising and positive ones among the latest great harvests.

The feeling of regret for the epilogue, characterized by exceptional rainfall, now gives way to the certainty that the 2005 vintage wines will be great.
In particular they are characterized by a more limited alcohol contents when compared to the wines of a recent past and, therefore, they can finally be considered “normal”, with a really intense, deep colour, but especially with a balanced and surprising fullness.

We can compare this vintage to the 2003 one, but without its shortcomings due to the climatic excesses typical of that vintage.

The white and the young red wines are really good. Endowed with a fruity softness, they are able to satisfy the most exacting palates seeking a young, yet powerful drinking experience. Our “nebbioli” boast an excellent hue and structure, characterized as they are since now by mellowness and elegance. This can only lead us to foresee an evolution which will turn these wines into great ones, though,maybe not fit for long ageing.