Amarone Harvest 2015

In Negrar we have reached the end of the selection of the grapes for the Amarone, all organised in boxes in our drying rooms.
The grapes were harvested between September 1st and September 18th, with perfect weather conditions: sunny, dry and warm.
Last year, as an example of a completely different vintage, especially because of the climate during spring and summer, we started the grape selection on September 18th!
This year, 2015, has been the earliest start for the selection of grapes for the Amarone since 2000!

Some rain fall between the 13th and 14th of September briefly stopped the harvest, otherwise hot and sunny days have had a positive effect on the beginning of the drying process.

In 12 days of work, we picked some 15,000 boxes of grapes, divided into five different drying rooms that we have in Pojega.
Two thirds of the grapes were picked from our vineyards cultivated in rows, while a third of the grapes come from the our pergola trained vineyards in Pojega – Villa Rizzardi.
20% of the total grapes comes from our Calcarole hill.
The grapes harvested are mostly Corvina ( 40% of the total), Rondinella ( 33%), Corvinone (11%) and for the rest Barbera and Sangiovese.

In the second half of September, the high pressure and the nice sunny weather contributed to a fast start to the drying process of the grapes in boxes and the delicate transition from the vegetable to the woody stage of the stem is already well advanced.

Historically, this type of vintage with grapes rich in sugars and polyphenols, accompanied by a good acidity, has given structured and complex wines, concentrated and rich in extracts.

Giuseppe Rizzardi