Next to the name of each estate we mention the appellations (DOCG, DOC) of the wines produced. We do not mention the IGT wines unless they are the only type or a relevant part of wines made. In the following you will find a report on the 2010 harvest in Tuscany.

Tuscany
In general the winter was very cold with snow in many areas. Springtime was rainy till the end of June. In July the weather was good and very warm and this made the vines recover a bit of time as flowering and veraison (the phase when the berries change colour) were approx. 15 days later than the previous vintages (source: Assoenologi – Associazione enologi enotecnici italiani). Please find further details regarding the different Tuscan zones as follows:

SAN PANCRAZIO (Province of Florence): 2010 was characterized by not very intense, but frequent rainfalls from the budding phase till harvest. The weather during the month of July and during harvest was dry.

Riccardo Galli agronomist-oenologist of Fattoria di Lucignano (Chianti Colli Fiorentini DOCG): “The clusters were beautiful and flawless. We did not have problems with disease nor with the ripening phase. The grapes were of good quality with a good content of polyphenols. Grape yield was slightly lower in comparison to the previos vintages. Due to the climate, green harvest was very careful in order to air the clusters adequately. Although it is still a bit early to say so, 2010 could be compared to 2005”

SAN CASCIANO DEI BAGNI (Province of Siena): There was rain during the summer and this made the grapes, and especially Sangiovese, ripen later. Harvest consequently took place later than in other vintages.

Giacomo Mori owner of the homonymous estate (Chianti DOCG, Vin Santo del Chianti DOC): “All the grapes were perfectly ripe at harvest…Yield was 6.3 tons/hectare average. This year green harvest was particularly careful in order to ensure good quality clusters and harvest later (for complete ripening of the clusters)…The quality of the wines is good, with good alcohol strength, good colour and acidity. We started to pick on the 20th of September and finished on the 10th of October…2010 could be compared to 2005 and to 2006..”

MONTI IN CHIANTI (Province of Siena): 2010 was cold consequently budding and flowering of the vines was late. May and June were rainy. August was not particularly warm. The weather in September ws very good with an extremely wide night-day temperature range.

Luca Martini – Fattoria San Giusto a Rentennano (Chianti Classico DOCG): “We started picking the white grapes for Vin Santo on the 20th of September, on the 23rd and 24th September we picked Merlot and on the 27th we started with Sangiovese and Canaiolo. We finished the harvest on the 12th of October. The grapes were perfectly ripe and the clusters were divided into 1st, 2nd and 3rd choice according to size, how compact the clusters were, zone, ripeness. The yield this year was 4 tons of grapes/hectare. We thinned out 40% of the clusters of Sangiovese and 15/20% of the clusters of Merlot from the 27th of July till the 16th of August. We added a second vibrating table for the selection of berries after destemming. The quality of the wine is high, the Chianti Classico is good, but it seems a great vintage for Riserva, Ricolma and Percarlo: colour is very intense, acidity is medium to high, good alcohol strength……One can compare 2010 to 2008…..”

PANZANO (Province of Florence): Winter was cold. It snowed two or three times. The end of the spring and the beginning of summer were rainy. The weather during the summer was average with the right amount of warm days. In September there were a few rains.

Valeria Viganò owner of Podere Le Cinciole (Chianti Classico DOCG): “..the ripening of the grapes was even and the clusters were perfectly ripe. We started the harvest on the 1st of October and we finished on the 15th of October with Cabernet. We harvested three days earlier in order to avoid rain. We are very satisfied with the tasting of the new wines in the cellar: they are a beautiful expression of Sangiovese…. 2010 is a good vintage. It is a bit early to be able to compare 2010 to other vintages…..”

MONTALCINO (Province of Siena): After a very rainy springtime with temperatures that were lower than average, after mid June the weather was dry and warm. During the month of September it was warm during the day and cool at night which was ideal for the ripening of the grapes.

Andrea Cortonesi owner of Azienda Agricola Uccelliera (Brunello di Montalcino DOCG, Rosso di Montalcino DOC): “..the wide day-night temperature range in September was excellent for acidity, pH and aromas in the wines. Harvest started at the end of September/beginning of October. The phenolic ripeness of the grapes was good. Yield was similar to the previous vintages. Leaf removal was carried out in order to air the clusters and avoid mould. The wine has an intense colour. The nose is extraordinary. Beautiful fruit and freshness. 2010 is an excellent vintage….Although it can be a problem for vineyard management, rain is extremely important for a good veraison (the phase during which grapes change colour)…”.

Podere Brizio (Brunello di Montalcino DOCG, Rosso di Montalcino DOC, Sant’Antimo DOC): “..the harvest started at the end of September and ended at the beginning of October…..The clusters were ripe and flawless. The yield was low as it is every year (5 tons/hectare). We carried out green pruning during the springtime, we tilled the vineyards for weed control. We thinned out the fruit in September in order to lower the yield and to increase quality. The sugar content of the must was good and not too high, acidity was correct and the content of polyphenols was high. 2010 is a good vintage with an excellent forecast…..”

Roberto Giannelli owner of Azienda Agricola San Filipppo (Brunello di Montalcino DOCG, Rosso di Montalcino DOC, Sant’Antimo DOC): “…we picked Merlot and Syrah on the 16t h of September and Sangiovese from the 4t h to the 16t h of October…The grapes were perfectly ripe with excellent peaks for the grapes picked from the 10t h of October onwards. The yield was between 6 and 9 tons/hectare…Vineyard management was focussed on balancing the vines with the help of a natural grass cover on the aisles between the rows of vines…The colour of the wines is intense with dark nuances. The wines are rich in fine and elegant aromas, they have good alcohol strength, good acidity and an important structure which makes one think that these wines will be suitable for long ageing….In 2010 we made a rosè wine, a blend of merlot and syrah, with cold vinification and a brief maturation in wood..2010 is a vintage that will put the great crus in evidence and those producers that have carried out a careful vineyard management will reach an extremely high quality in their wines…”

S. GIMIGNANO (Province of Siena): Winter was cold, the springtime was rainy with heavy rainfalls. The summer was not particularly warm. During the harvest the weather was good with little rain, mellow temperature and a wide night-day temperature range.

Franco Troiani owner of Azienda Agricola Fontaleoni (Vernaccia di S. Gimignano DOCG, Chianti Colli Senesi DOCG, Chianti DOCG): “We started picking on the 3rd of September and we finished on the 9th of October (the sequence was Chardonnay, Merlot, Vernaccia, Sangiovese and Trebbiano)…The grapes had reached a good ripeness, sugar content was slightly lower than IN previous vintages. Grape yield in 2010 was 8 tons/hectare. The wines have good acidity, slightly lower alcohol strength…One can compare 2010 to 2005 and to 2006….”

CARMIGNANO (Province of Prato) The winter was cold with snow. The springtime was cold and rainy, the vegetative cycle of the vines started a bit later. The climate was quite cool with rainfalls that continued throughout springtime till the beginning of the summer. During the harvest it was dry with a few downpours at the beginning of October.

Beppe Rigoli of Fattoria Ambra (Carmignano DOCG, Barco Reale DOC, Vin Santo di Carmignano DOC, Rosato di Carmignano DOC). “..we started the harvest at the end of September and we finished on the 10-12t h of October. For Carmignano this harvest was slightly late…The grapes were flawless. We had to select a little, but we always go through the vineyards twice. The wines are well balanced, alcohol strength and acidity are good, structure is also good. 2010 is similar to 2006…”

MONTEPULCIANO (Province of Siena) During the months before the harvest the weather was good with relatively low humidity. The vines did not suffer from hydric stress, due to the rainfalls in mid August, and this favoured a good vegetative-production balance of the vines.

Azienda Agricola Dei (Vino Nobile di Montepulciano DOCG, Rosso di Montepulciano DOC): “..the harvest started on the 20th of September and finished on the 25th of October. The grape yield this year was 5.5 tons/hectare. The quality of the wines is good, with good alcohol strength and good acidity. ..We are building a beautiful underground cellar entirely made of Travertino marble..”