The fairly warm winter season in January, with rain absent until the end of February, allowed for regular operations to be carried out in the field. The spring season proceeded normally over the first two months until May when it rained 16 days out of the 31. Notable during this period were the substantially below average temperatures (5.1°C lower than in 2018) and two hailstorms concentrated in the Poggiarso and Casi vineyards, that however did not impact the quality of the grapes. From June 2 until the end of July scorching summer temperatures reached up to 40 ° C, marked with three torrential rainstorms. The latter part of the summer saw milder temperatures in the first week of September with increasing temperatures reaching well-above seasonal averages. Additionally, the substantial differences in temperature between day and night contributed to the full ripening of the grapes and fully developed aromatic notes; particular attention was placed on the ripening of the skins which played a fundamental role in the scaled approach of the harvest. Interestingly, the plants maintained a low pH with consequent high acidity, despite an above average sugar content, due in part to dehydration during the hottest days.

The harvest began on September 5 with Pinot Nero Cimitero and Fornace followed by 10 days of Sangiovese harvest intended for the sparkling wine and the rosato (in particular from the Meletino, S. Piero and Moci areas). The harvest continued with Merlot from Casi Cannaio until September 26. The Vermentino was harvested on September 25, consistent with the normal progression of ripening.
The first Merlot bunches, selected according to the high-quality results from the analytical and organoleptic analysis, were harvested in the second half of September from the areas of San Piero and Fornace, Moci, Spaltenna, Parabuio and Cannaio. From the first tastings the Merlot is showing to be very structured and powerful, with above-average alcohol levels and ripe fruit on the nose; After the natural winter decantation, racking and malolactic fermentation, the Merlot will really show its best. The wines produced from the Parabuio and Casi Cannaio grapes, where selections were made based on soil types, were particularly interesting.
Summer temperatures persisted until the first week of October, with respite only in the first few days of September. The Sangiovese grape ripened homogeneously and simultaneously across all 5 zones, with small differences recorded in the higher elevation vineyards. Substantial thinning was carried out in all vineyards where greater yields and clusters were present in the valley bottoms.
Compared to the Merlot, organoleptically the Sangiovese more fully captures a state of low pH and high acidity, but overall so far exhibits a good balance, fine elegance and the presence of fruit; Greater detail and nuances will be identified after the winter decantation. Separation of the plots and bunch selections in the vineyard were successful, and led to experimental trials of alcoholic fermentation in open tonneaux, with and without stems, of the best rows of the Trebbio vineyard, where prolonged contact with the skins is expected, even after the completion of fermentation.
The Vermentino had difficulty in reaching its full sugar content and, above all, in reaching a sufficient aromatic ripening to meet the quality in-line with company standards. The wine, after a slow alcoholic fermentation carried out at 11 ° C, presents very delicate aromas with a great freshness on the palate.
The harvest was completed on October 24.
From a qualitative point of view, the grapes showed excellent health this vintage, allowing for longer maceration in the reds and overall longer macerations compared with last year, limited only in some cases by pomace breakdown due to very soft and ripe skins. Fermentation is carried out on average at temperatures between 24 and 26 ° C with light pumping over and prolonged post-fermentation maceration.
Most of the Sangiovese wines will be drawn off towards the end of October. The classification of the vinified masses as well as decisions regarding what labels they are destined for are deferred until the cold weather sets in, after decantation and racking when the wines can be fully assessed.
The last to be harvested is the Trebbiano selected from the S. Piero vineyard, partly left to dry for the production of Vinsanto together with red grapes harvested for the production of Governo.