MATELICA (Province of Macerata): The winter was average without much snow. The springtime was rainy. The weather was cool till the harvest except for 15-20 warm days in August. There was a wide night-day temperature range which is typical of this area

Aroldo Belelli consulting agronomist/oenologist of Azienda Agraria Bisci (Verdicchio di Matelica DOC, Marche Rosso IGT) ”..the estate is in the first year of the conversion phase to be certified organic. Vineyard management was very careful as, due to the rain, there was a lot of canopy and the production was contained by dropping fruit. It was evident, from the beginning of the season, that 2013 is a vintage for whites. The wines have good aromatics and a good acidity. We have to see how the wines evolve. We carefully selected the clusters of the Vigneto Fogliano vineyard and we now have to evaluate whether we will make Verdicchio di Matelica Vigneto Fogliano 2013 or whether we will blend the wine with the Verdicchio “base”. For the first time we picked Sangiovese before Merlot. The reds are good…We picked from the 30th of September till the 15th of October…..”

JESI (Province of Macerata): There were heavy rains during the springtime in May and in June. The summer was warm with a temperature that reached 35 degrees Celsius.

Giulio Piazzini Cellar Master of Tenuta di Tavignano (Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi Classico Superiore DOC, Rosso Piceno DOC):”…the rains during the springtime were positive for the vines that had a good water supply to get through the hot summer. The temperature got lower in September and there was a wide day-night temperature range (cool at night and warm and sunny during the day). All the varietals were perfectly ripe at harvest. The Verdicchio grapes reached a complete phenolic ripening at the beginning of September. We foresee that we will have excellent results for the wines…We picked Verdicchio from the 15th of September and we finished during the first ten days of October. We finished picking Montepulciano during the third week of October. The sugar content of the grapes was slightly lower than last year. The grape yield was higher and so was the grape/must yield…The Montepulciano wines are still fermenting so that it is still early to give an opinion……”

NUMANA (Province of Ancona): It was cold and rainy during the springtime, so that the budding phase of the vines started approximately 12 days later that usual. The weather was good in July, August and September.

Azienda Agricola Le Terrazze – Georgina Terni owner of the estate (Rosso Conero DOC, Conero DOCG, Marche IGT): “…..although the climate was difficult during the spring, we worked well in the vineyards so that the vines did not have any problems with disease…There were rains in October, but we deleafed the vines so that the clusters had a good ventilation. The results were very good and the quality of the grapes was high…The grape yield was lower than the one in the previous vintages. I noticed that the Montepulciano wines become more “graceful” in rainy vintages. I am extremely optimistic regarding the quality of the wines. We picked Chardonnay on the 4th of September, Syrah on the 10th of September, Merlot on the 16th of September and we picked Montepulciano from the 15th of October till the 24th of October……”

CIVITANOVA MARCHE (Province of Macerata): The springtime was rainy. In July the weather was not too warm, then the temperature increased in August. In September there was a wide day-night temperature range (it was cool at night and warm during the day).

Elvio Alessandri owner of Azienda Agricola Boccadigabbia (Rosso Piceno DOC, Colli Maceratesi Ribona DOC, Marche IGT) “…the harvest was 15 days later in comparison to the previous vintages. We started picking after the 25th of August and we finished with the red varieties in mid October. We are satisfied with the harvest. We racked off the last red wine vats today (29th of October)…….”

PERGOLA (Province of Pesaro and Urbino): The springtime was cold and it rained till the end of May, beginning of June. The weather during the months of July and August was good. There was good weather till mid September after which there were intermittent rains.

Francesco Tonelli owner of Fattoria Villa Ligi (Pergola Rosso DOC, Pergola Passito DOC):”…we luckily started picking the Vernaccia Rossa di Pergola at the end of August/beginning of September, while the weather was good and before the rains which started after the 15th of September. It was a good harvest and the grape yield was also good. This year, due to the rain during the springtime, proper vineyard management was very important. We worked hard in the vineyard and this paid off……..”