Podcast 013 | From the harvest to the end of the year - the weather in Chianti with Piero Lanza
Piero Lanza From the Poggerino Winery
Today I would like to tell you about my last visit to Piero, our local weather expert and winemaker, at the Poggerino winery. As always, he gave me fascinating insights into the current weather situation and the latest harvest.
A challenging summer and the 2021 harvest
Piero explained that the summer of 2021 was particularly dry and hot, which made wine production difficult. Nevertheless, he began harvesting on September 23, taking a step-by-step approach: he picks the grapes at different stages of ripeness. This gives the wines a special complexity, as unripe grapes have more acidity and aroma, while overripe grapes provide fullness and complexity.
Fortunately, the rain at the end of September brought the necessary relief. Although the quantity of grapes was slightly lower, the quality of the harvest was impressive. Piero predicts that the 2021 vintage will be a very good, if not exceptional, vintage.
Weather and viticulture
An interesting aspect of the conversation was observing the weather around September 19, the feast day of San Gennaro. We noticed that at this time the weather often changes from warm to cool, which has an impact on the vines. After the harvest, the weather was ideal for preparing the soil for the next season. For the future, Piero hopes for snow in the winter, as it melts slowly and provides the soil with an even supply of water. Snow also protects the vines from extreme temperatures.
Finally, Piero shared a humorous anecdote: the Poggerino winery holds the world record for the largest pumpkin, which weighed a whopping 1260 kilos in 2021. This brought them unexpected fame and shows the versatility and passion of the people behind this winery.
As always, the conversation with Piero was enlightening and full of valuable insights into viticulture and the weather conditions in Chianti. We thank Piero for his time and wish him and his team a wonderful Christmas and a successful 2022.
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