Vintage Reports

Rocco Cipollone of FEUDUCCIO

Healthy grapes and excellent quality: these are the keywords for the 2022 harvest, which just finished. We began about a week early and this year the quality is pleasing despite drought conditions. The record temperatures didn’t compromise the vineyards and the grapes are perfect. All of the grape varieties ripened exceptionally well, with perhaps more concentrated sugars and a bit lower acidity. The whites are excellent while the reds show vivid, intense and refined aromas.

Overall, we expect excellent wines.

Elisa Marchetti of MARCARINI

The 2022 vintage showed us once again the vines’ amazing ability to adapt.

Budbreak started on time and was slow and even. Flowering was exceptional because we had sunny days with mild temperatures. Fruit set began a bit later due to water stress. Thanks to the extraordinary health of the grapes, we were able to wait until the perfect moment to pick the Nebbiolo (for Barolo) grapes and as a result, the aromatics are exceptional, and the tannins show great power.

We can’t deny that we had to face two huge problems this year – drought and excessive temperatures. However, we are thankful to have soils rich in clay, which retain humidity in the soil. The age of the vines also helped, as the roots of vines over twenty years old dig over 9 meters down. Fortunately, the rain we did get in August ensured good final yields though about 20% less than the average.

As for the temperatures, the work we did in the vineyard was fundamental. We left more foliage to protect the grapes among other things.

We are really satisfied with the great potential that our grapes have shown, the only thing is that there will be a bit less – as the saying goes, “Pochi ma buoni!” (Roughly, lower quantities, but excellent quality!)

Mattia Donna of TORRACCIA DEL PIANTAVIGNA

We finished harvesting last Saturday and for the most part, the grapes were perfectly ripe and in excellent health. This vintage did suffer the drought though – especially in Gattinara and the vineyards in Ghemme with less clay.

The older plants – 25 years or more – were able to withstand the water stress better.

We’ll see about 30% less in production this year.

Beatrice Gaudio of GAUDIO BRICCO MONDALINO

The 2022 vintage was interesting for two reasons – the extreme drought conditions and the very high temperatures registered starting in May and going through September. This stressed the vineyards in a way Piedmont has never really seen. After good budbreak and early flowering, the vines started to slow down due to the heat until we got (very little) rain in May and June only to start suffering again. Veraison began about three weeks early! We were worried mainly about a few things: oidium, scorched grapes, not reaching full maturation and hailstorms. Harvest ended 10 October but the whole period went crazy fast as everything seemed to ripen at the same time.

We are down about 10-15% in quantity, but the sugar concentration, anthocyanins and tannins are incredible. The aromas are also extremely intense and complex. It might seem strange, but some grapes are actually larger meaning they didn’t suffer the water stress as much.

This was certainly a highly unusual vintage, very different from the balanced and elegant 2021. This vintage is powerful, similar to 2016 and 2017, and very unique and complex.

Alfredo Albertini of LAGARIA and BOLLINI

Overall, it was a good vintage, surely better than we had imagined.

The unfavorable picture of late July-early August, caused by widespread though patchy drought resolved itself with welcome rain. The dry season however did facilitate better control of fungal diseases, reducing the frustrating need for emergency phytosanitary interventions.  The end result is beautiful, healthy, and crisp grapes, guaranteeing clean and easy fermentation. Finally, September’s favorable climate fostered excellent phenolic maturity in the reds, which bodes well for quality. Our whites, from painstakingly selected grapes, should see natural alcohol levels and medium-high extract as well as a sensory profile that will certainly favor roundness and balance.

Andi Punter of FRANZ HAAS

Harvest is going well and we are very satisfied with the grapes that we are bringing back to the cellar. The quality is very good so we expect good results this year.

Fortunately, we didn’t have big problems with the weather and the little hail we saw didn’t cause any grave damage.

It’s definitely a great help that we have high-altitude vineyards, which is reassuring, allowing for excellent quality even in a hot vintage like 2022.