It seems like a long time ago, but it was only last year when we were complaining about drought and excessive heat. We do not presume to think that we can affect the climate with our complaints, nor with our prayers, yet the winegrowers of Vinchio Vaglio this year faced frequent and consistent rainfall such as we had not seen in years!
Indeed, we are witnessing vintages that come with anomalous weather and vegetative-productive trends, with frequent and intense phenomena of the opposite sign. So much so that we are certain these new challenges will have to be managed under the sign of adaptability and readiness.
2024 was in fact a rather rainy year: from mid-February onwards, the rainfall arrived intense and plentiful, so much so that in the phenological phase of budding alone, rainfall was equal to the entire 2021/2022 vintage with over 450 mm of water. Rainfall was abundant in April and May, and certainly characterised the entire season up to the harvest. In the year 2023/2024, rainfall in the various areas was between 1,000 and 1,500 mm of water.
The veraison, characterised by rainy weather and not excessive summer temperatures, also took place a few days later than in previous years. August was fairly dry, with a few thunderstorms that caused botrytis problems. September was rainy (with over 100 mm of water), with continuous “light” rains. Unfortunately, the rainy September affected the health of the vines, causing botrytis to flourish, which appeared as early as the end of August.
The thinning out of bunches was essential in order to lighten the plants that were too overloaded in terms of quantity, with bunches that were too “swollen”, but above all aimed at improving the health aspect, which is fundamental in years characterised by excessive rainfall and humidity. The thinning out carried out on clusters bunched together was useful for improving the healthiness of the grapes, preventing acid rot and eliminating any bunches or portions thereof affected by botrytis.
Therefore, the careful management of the vineyard by our winegrowers was crucial. For once, they were favoured by the very small areas, which allowed them to intervene quickly and only when needed. Thanks to this commitment, no disastrous results, but what a struggle! So much work, so much tension, and so many bunches on the ground to help the plant in its ripening progress!
The long-awaited moment: the 2024 grape harvest
Then came the long-awaited harvest time, moved forward from the previous two editions, and… it rained! The September rain kept the rows of vines and the vineyard headlands damp and muddy, a problem that affected and hindered the harvest, making it tremendously difficult. There had not been a harvest in such conditions for many years: the last year with such a wet and muddy harvest was 2002.
The year 2023-2024 will be remembered by everyone as a tiring year, and it is this that prompts us to thank, once again, the very hard work our winegrowers do in the vineyard in vintages like this one, which was certainly more difficult in the vineyard than in the cellar.
The result of the 2024 Vinchio Vaglio grape harvest
Despite several humidity problems, the harvest was very good, with peaks of excellent quality. The best yields in terms of quality were found in the best sun-exposed vineyards and in hillside positions.
In terms of the wines we obtained, one important point to note is the lower alcohol content (on average half a degree less than in previous years), resulting in wines that are more drinkable and with a significantly lower calorie content. Fresher wines, with great drinkability for everyday consumption, but at the same time – from the most suitable locations – we obtained wines with structure and olfactory freshness with varietal characteristics that are always well expressed.
Great results on white wines, as the lower night temperatures enabled the synthesis of many odorous substances typical of each variety, particularly in the aromatic and thiol varieties.
Matteo Lajolo, oenologist of Cantina Cooperativa Vinchio Vaglio
