Good news from the highest hills of Montalcino: despite some less-than-ideal weather earlier this year, this season in the vineyard is progressing well.
With fluctuating temperatures and heavy rains, the vineyard's rhythm remains steady. The grapes of Poggio Antico are moving through their growth cycle smoothly. We visited the vineyard to check on this season's progress.
Daily activities are in full swing: the team is focused on trimming the vines and mowing the grass to maintain a natural balance between the rows. The goal is to allow nature its space while ensuring it coexists harmoniously with the vineyard without overwhelming it.
This constant attention to soil care is reflected in the clusters, which are now in the crucial closing phase. The berries are swelling, and the clusters are forming. It’s time to start uncovering them – a manual, plant-by-plant process, that involves removing the basal leaves, which are becoming less productive in photosynthesis. This airing out of the fruit maximizes the effectiveness of treatments (significantly reducing their quantity) and protects the berries from potential nighttime humidity damage.
Once the cluster closure is complete, a first thinning pass will be made in areas where bunching or overlapping makes it necessary.
Ripeness checks will begin in September; until then, it's about being present in the vineyard day after day, monitoring and observing to understand the vine's needs and anticipate any requirements.
If the season continues as expected, it could turn into what is known in Montalcino as a "cool season" – resulting in high-quality grapes that maintain an ideal acidity level for long aging. For now, all that's needed is presence and listening—the vineyard will speak for itself soon.