2017 Harvesting

The 2017 vintage growing year will be remembered for its hot climate, and in particular sparse rainfalls.

The winter was mild, with only a few snowfalls, while spring was marked by some rain and above-average temperatures facilitating the vine’s vegetative development, which immediately proved to be ahead of time.

Towards the end of April, the sharp drop in temperatures recorded – especially overnight – throughout Italy caused some frost damages, though in the Langhe region only the bottoms of the valleys and cooler slopes were affected.

May saw the beginning of a long period of fine weather  ensuring excellent conditions in terms of plant protection and vineyard management with temperatures above average, but nights cooler than in other warm years.

Between the end of August and the beginning of September, eagerly-awaited rain helped to rebalance the water supply to the grape berries for which veraison was truly underway.

Starting from the first week in September, temperatures dropped appreciably and growing patterns were nearer seasonal averages, with considerable differences between day and night temperatures.

This vintage can certainly be remembered as one of the earliest of recent years, but where the vine was able in any case to enjoy a full and regular development cycle.

The wines

White grapes were those ones that have been most affected by the climatic situation with a significant reduction in quantities produced. Wines are rich and concentrated with high alcohol contents, but interesting and pleasant.

Dolcetto and Barbera are the varietals that had the best reaction to the weather conditions and the wines, even if with a reduction in the quantity produced, are dense and powerful, but with great balance and alcoholic levels not too extreme.

The wines produced with the Nebbiolo varietal are the best ones for the polyphenolic profile for which the data differed to those recorded in other “warm” vintages both in terms of  quantity – accumulation of anthocyanins and tannins and extractability, an essential factor in wines suitable for a long ageing.On the basis of recorded data, this vintage can certainly be remembered as one of the earliest of recent years, given that the picking of the nebbiolo grapes began in the middle ten days of September, and ended early in October, around two weeks earlier than usual, but with wines promising very well and showing a great evolution potential.