Satisfaction at DE STEFANI: a favourable vintage which will bring wines which express at the best our territory, with a lower yield but with an extraordinary quality!

After a December 2008 with a temperature much lower than the average of that period, followed a period in which the temperature was in line with the last years. The abundant water reserve, accumulated during one of the most rainy winters of the last decade, balanced the heat and the lack of rain of the summer 2009.
In spring there had been a considerable increase in the temperature, therefore vines anticipated flowering of about a week and such earliness has been kept till the picking season.
To a hot and dry August in which the temperature reached levels among the highest of the last ten years, followed a September in which night temperatures, between 10 and 13°C, contributed to the building of the aromatic features of the grapes.
The following are the dates in which we starter the harvest of our Cru, wines produced from a single vineyard.
Harvest dates of the grapes of the Tombola di Pin: Pinot Noir on 24 August, Chardonnay on 25 August and Prosecco on 16 September.
Harvest dates of the grapes of the Olmera: Sauvignon blanc on 12 September and Tocai on 13 September.
The Refosco for the Kreda was picked on 29 September.
Harvest dates of the grapes of the Terre Nobili: Refosco on 29 September, Merlot on 1 October and Cabernet Sauvignon on 2 October.
The Marzemino for the Stèfen 1624 and for the Refrontolo Passito was picked on 22 and 23 October.
The Raboso for the Malanotte was harvested on 28 October.

The vintage 2009 will be interesting on an oenological point of view, thanks to a series of climatic and agronomic factors for obtaining high quality grapes. The quantity of grapes has been 45% less than the average of the last 5 years, caused by draught, the physiological characteristic of the season and by our will to reduce the yield of grapes per plant after having changed the training system of the vineyards to the Guyot method with 8.400 vines per hectare.

White and sparkling wines will be full, longeval and mineral, with ripe fruit flavours and a nice freshness, thanks to the important change of temperature between day and night of the last period and to the wise well chosen picking period.

Red wines will have a very intense colour and will be well structured, with thick and opulent tannins, also due to an extraordinary richness in sugar of the grapes. Roundness will overwhelm austerity.

Vintage of an extraordinary quality!