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Viinin Kuvailu
The Story
The blend: 55% Merlot, 35% Syrah, 10% Sangivoese
The vineyards are focussed in Bolgheri and the neighbouring area of Bibbona, with vines mainly planted on dark soils full of lime and clay.
The grapes were handled with particular care with extremely soft pressing of the bunches and helping to shorten the maceration process. The three varieties ferment and macerate separately for around 15 days. After 12 months of ageing in oak, they are blended and then aged for several months in the bottle before release.
@https://www.hatchmansfield.com/
Wine Information
The initial months of 2019 confirm the climate change under way, which is demonstrated by the occurrence of much more frequent extreme events with shifts in seasons and brief but intense rainfalls. The winter was cold and dry; an increase in temperature was only recorded in the final days of February with figures well over the seasonal average. Stormy showers characterised the spring months, especially in May, compensating for the lack of rain over the winter, but contributing towards a further delay in budding (20 days later compared to 2018). June and July were, however, months with temperatures above the seasonal average, characterised by very hot and dry days. The temperature fluctuations between night and day helped the vines to remain balanced in a year which, up until the end of July, had been worryingly dry. At the onset of the veraison, delayed by a week compared to the norm, the vines were healthy with excellent foliage. At the end of July, a total of 80 mm of rain fell in one day alone, followed by a drastic drop in temperatures for about 10 days. The grapes benefited greatly from this abundant rainfall, which contributed towards a slower and more balanced ripening. In August, there were further downpours which, in turn, delayed harvesting (10-15 days later than last year) and resulted in grapes with riper skins and elegant tannins. In September, the Tramontane winds dried the grape bunches helping to keep the grapes healthy and allowing the harvest to start with the white wine varieties in the first few days of September and the red wine varieties on September 15. Some brief, unsettled weather softened the skins and, together with the good weather up to October, contributed to the full phenolic ripening of later-ripening varieties. The harvest terminated on October 6 with great satisfaction.
@https://www.hatchmansfield.com/
Vuosikerta 2019
Barolo & Barbaresco – Great Vintage
The Consorzio di Tutela Barolo Barbaresco Alba Langhe e Dogliani, the association representing almost 500 wineries in Piedmont, Italy, is pleased to release the 2019 Barolo & Barbaresco harvest report. Unlike 2018, which was particularly precocious, 2019 has demonstrated to be a classic vintage, showing signs of good structure, ideal balance, and excellent aging ability. This news comes in anticipation of the Barolo & Barbaresco World Opening event in New York City, February 4th and 5th, 2020, where an array of vintages currently available on the market will be poured for press, trade, and consumers.
The growth year started slowly for Barolo & Barbaresco due to winter weather conditions pushing through February, followed by a period of rain and low temperatures until the middle of March. April brought continued wet conditions with more moderate temperatures and the opportunity for water to accumulate in the soil. Due to this water accumulation and a spike in temperatures during June, rapid plant growth occurred at the beginning of Summer. As a result, vineyard managers were required to pay close attention to protecting the plant from potential health issues. The hottest period in the season was recorded between the last week in June and the first in July, followed by days on which milder temperatures alternated with rain. A second heatwave was recorded at the end of July, ending in intense storms that did not damage the vines; the remainder of the summer season was marked by a mild climate, with regular, sporadic rainfall.
September began with a hailstorm that caused substantial damage in two localized areas on the hills around Alba, missing most of the Barolo & Barbaresco region. Harvest commenced for Nebbiolo during the second half of October and exhibited fruit with good sugar levels and a superb polyphenol profile. The wines can be expected to have brilliant color, excellent structure, and age ability. Overall, 2019 is a traditional vintage with high-quality production despite a slight drop in quantity in comparison to 2018.
“The 2019 harvest hasn’t been abundant, but the quality of grapes is well above average,” confirmed the Consorzio’s technical office, “As a result, we can expect great wines with distinctive character.”