CORATO (Province of Bari): It was rainy and cold till May, then the weather got warm and the temperature was high till the end of September: it was still 30 degrees Celsius at the end of September, it was a warm harvest.

Roberto Perrone Capano owner of Azienda Agricola Santa Lucia (Castel del Monte DOC, Puglia Fiano IGT):”…we started picking Fiano at the beginning of September, we picked Negroamaro in mid September and Nero di Troia was harvested early and we finished picking this grape on the 6th of October. The grapes reached a good ripeness. The grape yield was 7 tons/hectare, 1.8 kilograms per vine. Since 2009 the principles of organic viticulture are followed although the estate is not certified…..The 2012 Nero di Troia wines will be supple..Starting from the 2012 vintage Castel del Monte Nero di Troia Riserva will be classified as a DOCG wine….This is a good vintage for the red wines, it is still early as the wines are still fermenting……”

UGENTO (Southern Salento – Province of Lecce): In the springtime it rained quite a lot. The last rainfalls took place in May. 2012 has been a dry year, there was little humidity and little rain (after the month of May).

Francesco Marra of Masserie Pizari (Salento Rosso Negroamaro IGT, Salento Rosato Negroamaro IGT, Salento Rosso Primitivo IGT):”..there was very little disease, so that we had to spray the wines very little. The grape yield of Primitivo was low, the must was very concentrated, this variety was harvested early starting from the 5th of September. The Negroamaro grapes benefited from a rainfall in mid September: the must was less concentrated (than the Primitivo) and was well balanced. Also the Negroamaro vines were harvested early, starting on the 20th of September (instead of the beginning of October). It was a good harvest. We made the whole range of wines. 2012 is similar to 2008…”