“Quality is the keyword of the 2021 vintage, in a context for the protection and safeguarding of communities and the environment”, declares the producer Alessandro De Stefani.

After an autumn and a winter characterized by normal temperatures and good rainfall, the anomalous and cool spring led to below average temperatures in April and a very rainy month of May. With these factors, budding and flowering in the vineyard suffered a strong delay, of about two weeks, both in the hilly areas and in the plains. The frost of two nights in April has eliminated the production of some buds, helping to slightly reduce the fruiting shoots. June was the hottest month of the last thirty years, while in July and August the fluctuations were on average, with a very hot central phase from 8 to 16 August, which then gave way to a sharp drop in temperatures. The beautiful sunny days, with the favorable day/night temperature variations in August and September, brought the grapes to the right degree of ripeness, maintaining the acidic properties and aromatic complexity in the best possible way. All the red grape varieties were carefully defoliated by hand in the second half of August, in order to allow intense sunlight, greater ventilation and therefore an enviable final health of the grapes.

We recorded a drop in production of about 10% compared to the average of the previous five harvests. The 2021 harvest was delayed, the first bunches of Pinot Grigio were harvested in early September, followed by Sauvignon blanc, Chardonnay, Tocai Friulano and Glera for Prosecco in the third ten days of September. From the end of September, however, we have harvested the black berried grapes: Marzemino, Merlot, Refosco, Cabernet Sauvignon, Carmenere and finally Raboso which, as usual, closes the harvest at the beginning of November. A very long harvest that lasts about 2 and a half months and begins with the summer heat and ends with the cool autumn. The grapes were perfectly healthy, thanks to the dry heat of July, August and September. The vegetative turgor of the vineyard was also in exemplary form, with well-formed bunches with uniform ripeness for all varieties, a fundamental factor for having an excellent level of ripeness of the grapes.

“Our wine production today is increasingly oriented to the principles of quality and sustainability. The latter value, strongly shared with our DOC and DOCG Consortia, which is achieved through phytosanitary practices that are also leading the way in the rest of Italy. I am thinking of the organic principles and the SQNPI quality certification (National Integrated Production Quality System) and the Biodiversity friend certification, the first step towards territorial sustainability certification” declares the producer Alessandro De Stefani.

The grapes were selected three times. The first in the vineyard, by hand during the harvest. The second from our innovative destemmer with mechanical selection of the best grapes. Finally, the third, by hand, on the sorting table, carried out flawlessly by our expert cellar staff.

Prosecco and Prosecco Rosé have good acidity, correct acid/sugar balance and pleasant aromatic intensity.

White wines are very fresh and fragrant, extremely mineral, not excessively alcoholic, with good aromatic potential and extreme refinement.

Red wines are full-bodied, fruity and already portend great complexity and depth, with a strong personality. Great longevity on the horizon.

The 2021 harvest is of excellent quality!