There was high rainfall during the winter and at the beginning of the springtime. Consequently there was an excellent water supply in the soil. The weather varied during April and May. Starting from June and throughout August the temperature was higher than average and it was dry. The vines did not have problems with disease. The period of the budding phase was average while the veraison phase (the phase during which the berries change colour) was approximately ten days earlier than average. The weather during the harvest was excellent and all the producers are very happy with the 2015 vintage (source Assoenology the association of Italian oenologists).

Please find further details regarding the different Tuscan zones as follows.

SAN PANCRAZIO (Province of Florence): There was rain during the springtime and a few rainfalls during the summer, so that, although the temperature was very high especially in July, the vines did not suffer from hydric stress. During the month of July the temperature was high during the day and also during the night. Luckily there were storms after mid August which was beneficial for a good ripening of the grapes. The weather was good during the harvest

Riccardo Galli agronomist-oenologist of Fattoria di Lucignano (Chianti Colli Fiorentini DOCG): “The grape yield was slightly lower in comparison to 2014, but the quality was very good. The grapes were flawless, healthy, they “bounced”! We started picking on the 20th of September and we finished on the 5th of October. The forecast for the wines is excellent….”

MONTI IN CHIANTI (Province of Siena): The weather was very warm and dry from mid June and throughout the whole of July. In August it was less warm and less dry. The vegetative phases of the vines proceeded in a very even way and this favours a great vintage. The vines had a good water supply due to the rains in the winter and in the springtime. The weather was very good during the harvest.

Sandro Sderci owner of Il Palazzino (Chianti Classico DOCG, Vin Santo del Chianti DOC, Toscana IGT): “ the climate was perfect for the type of soil we have. The soil here drains a lot, so that the rains in August helped the vines. It was an extraordinary harvest. I am very happy. Everything went well and we harvested without rain. One would need a harvest like this one every year. We started picking the grapes for Rosato on the 15th of September and we finished on the first of September with Sangiovese. The must was rich in aroma and with a great structure. A peculiarity of 2015 is that the alcoholic fermentation of the musts was even, but very slow. Although the sugar percentage was high, all the fermentations proceeded well without stopping. The colour of the wines is beautiful, when we racked the wine off, the skins were intact and still elastic. This year we will make a great Grosso Sanese and the quality of all the wines will be very high, the Rosso del Palazzino will be at the same level of a Chianti Classico…”

GAIOLE IN CHIANTI (Province of Siena): It was rainy during the winter and during the spring. It was very warm in July, but the vines did not suffer due to the good water supply in the soil. The harvest took place before the rains started in October.

Saverio Basagni owner of Monterotondo (Chianti Classico DOCG, Toscana IGT Rosato: “…the clusters were beautiful and ripe. I am very satisfied, the work we carried out was wonderful! We started picking the white varieties on the 9th of September. We picked Malvasia Nera and Colorino starting on the 22nd of September and we picked Sangiovese from the 29th of September till the 8th of October. The last variety to be picked was Colorino. This is the second year that we spray the vines only with Propolis base products and the result is extraordinary: this year we had a high grape yield together with high quality. The grapes ripened about 10 days earlier than average. The alcoholic fermentation of the wines was without problems: it started at 17.5-18 degrees Celsius and when the temperature of the must reached 28-29 degrees Celsius over half of the fermentation process was complete. Next Saturday (17th of October) I will start racking off the wines and this operation will take about a week…”

MONTALCINO (Province of Siena): The winter and the springtime were very rainy, consequently the vines had a good water supply during the summer. The rains at the end of the springtime were particularly beneficial for the vines. The weather was good throughout the harvest.

Andrea Cortonesi owner of Azienda Agricola Uccelliera (Brunello di Montalcino DOCG, Rosso di Montalcino DOC, Toscana IGT): “I am satisfied with the 2015 harvest.The grapes were extraordinary, so that we also expect great wines. We started picking on the 21s t of September and we finished on the 3r d of October. As the weather was good, we harvested the grapes parcel by parcel waiting for the optimal moment to pick. This was the characteristic of this vintage. Although it was very hot in the summer, there were no problems as we carry out a very careful management of the canopy of the vines. We had a good grape yield. The wines have a wonderful colour, the tannins are supple, the aroma is wonderful. We carried out a cold maceration with the skins before the alcoholic fermentation (which is spontaneous): this year it lasted for a minimum of four days, and in some vats it lasted for 7-8 days. The alcoholic fermentation is now finished (19t h October) and tomorrow I will start racking off the first vats. There are all the conditions to be optimistic….”

Adriano Brunelli oenologist of Le Chiuse di Sotto (Brunello di Montalcino DOCG, Rosso di Montalcino DOC, Toscana IGT): “We started picking on the 23rd of September and we finished on the 3rd of October. It was an excellent harvest. We worked very well. The grapes were fantastic and the vinification was very easy thanks to the excellent quality of the clusters. The maceration and alcoholic fermentation lasted a bit longer than usual as the skins were very structured and flawless so that the polyphenols were released slowly. The results are wonderful: the wines are concentrated with a lovely aroma, the alcohol strength is good. I hope that we will have 100 more harvests like this one! We are now finishing to rack off the wines (15th of October). This year we are going to carry out some trials making the wine go through malolactic in wood….”

S. GIMIGNANO (Province of Siena): The springtime was quite rainy. The summer was warm till mid August when there was some rain. After that the weather was good throughout the whole harvest.

Matteo Troiani son of Franco, owner of Azienda Agricola Fontaleoni (Vernaccia di S. Gimignano DOCG, Chianti Colli Senesi DOCG, Chianti DOCG): “ We started picking the white grape varieties on the 30th of August and we finished the harvest, with the red grape varieties, on the 28th of September. 2015 is a good vintage, the grape yield was lower, but the quality was very high. The alcohol strength of the wines is good. The alcoholic fermentation of the wine is proceeding well. I am satisfied…”

S. GIMIGNANO (Province of Siena):  The springtime was quite rainy. The summer was warm till mid August when there was some rain. After that the weather was good throughout the whole harvest. Matteo Troiani son of Franco, owner of Azienda Agricola Fontaleoni (Vernaccia di S. Gimignano DOCG, Chianti Colli Senesi DOCG, Chianti DOCG): “ We started picking the white grape varieties on the 30th of August and we finished the harvest, with the red grape varieties, on the 28th of September. 2015 is a good vintage, the grape yield was lower, but the quality was very high. The alcohol strength of the wines is good. The alcoholic fermentation of the wine is proceeding well. I am satisfied…”

Beppe Rigoli of Fattoria Ambra (Carmignano DOCG, Barco Reale DOC, Vin Santo di Carmignano DOC, Barco Reale di Carmignano Rosato DOC): “The harvest started on the 1s t of September with Sangiovese, Canaiolo Nero and Cabernet for the production of Barco Reale di Carmignano Rosato, continued with Trebbiano and Vermentino (this grape variety was planted in 2013 and 2015 is the first harvest), Sangiovese from the crus where Sangiovese ripens earlier (i.e. Montefortini-Podere Lombarda and Santa Cristina in Pilli), followed by the vineyards of the Montalbiolo and Elzana crus. Cabernet was picked last and the harvest was completed on the 7t h of October. The level of sugar in the grapes was very high together with an excellent ripening of the polyphenols. 2015 is a wonderful vintage. The clusters were perfect…”

MONTEPULCIANO (Province of Siena):  The winter was average with a good rainfall. This provided the soil with a good supply of water. The vegetative phase of the vines started 10-15 days later than usual around the 15t h of March. The temperature increased in June and in July it was high and it reached 40 degrees Celsius. This accelerated the vegetative cycle of Sangiovese. Veraison took place at the end of July, ten days earlier than average. Due to the weather in June and in July there was a total absence of disease. From mid August there were some rainfalls, which were beneficial for the vines. The weather conditions were ideal in September, with an average temperature and with a good night/day temperature range.

Jacopo Felici oenologist of Azienda Agricola Dei (Vino Nobile di Montepulciano DOCG, Rosso di Montepulciano DOC, Vin Santo di Montepulciano DOC, Toscana IGT): “..the grapes ripened earlier this year, the technological maturity (sugar/acidity ratio) was complete for Sangiovese in mid September, but we waited to pick Sangiovese at the end of September when the polyphenols were perfectly ripe. The harvest took place till the 5/6t h of October. We started picking the white grape varieties at the beginning of September. The grape yield was average. The harvest is manual and, after the clusters are destemmed, the berries are sorted by an automatic system with two sorting tables and then further selected by hand on another sorting table. The forecast for 2015 is very good. The wines are very structured, the alcohol strength is good, there is a beautiful colour intensity, the tannins are excellent. The alcoholic fermentation of the wines is spontaneous. This year the maceration with the skins lasted longer as the grapes were flawless and the maturity of the grapes of all the vineyards was excellent. We vinify the grapes from each vineyard separately for the Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, for the Vino Nobile di Montepulciano Riserva and for the Rosso di Montepulciano. This also applies for the racking off and for the ageing of the wines. The grape yield was average…”

Dievole (Chianti Classico)

The 2015 grape growing season was highly positive, thanks to a warm and dry summer. Dievole’s oenologist Giovanni Alberio provides his vintage report and what we can expect from the 2015 Chianti Classico at Dievole. Throughout the growing season, we worked the earth deeply so that the roots weren’t stressed by the lack of water despite the sustained heat and dryness of the summer. In late August and early September we had cooler nights and warm days, continuing the ideal growing conditions. The grape produced is of notable quality, in particular its aromatic quality was impacted by this positive weather at the end of the season. By the beginning of September we were already able to predict a good year based on the constant maturation of the grapes. We harvested Sangiovese from mid September, slowly and with great attention to their technological and phenolic maturation. From vine to vine, area by area, the pickers hand-selected the grapes with extreme care. These grapes as well reached the cellar in absolutely perfect condition and maturation, with a good pH level and acidity, despite the heat. We very lightly pressed the grapes, resulting in a must that is rich in polyphenols and anthocyanins, with a good grade of alcohol. This must was naturally fermented with naturally occurring yeast for about 14 days in conical 80hl large Slavonian oak barrels, temperature controlled at a maximum of 27 degrees. After the alcoholic fermentation, the wine was transferred into the bottaia where the natural malolactic fermentation is currently taking place in 40hl French oak barrels, where they will continue their slow and natural maturation. The oenological practices applied at Dievole are gentle and minimal with the goal of letting the Sangiovese speak for itself. Upon first analysis, the 2015 vintage at Dievole will have good body, with a predominance of red fruits, excellent and mature tannins and good acidity. The typical minerals of our soil accompany the intense aromas of this vintage. The first grapes we harvested in September are destined for our rosato wine and they arrived in perfect condition, with good acidity and maturation.