The Poggio Antico Journal – Ep.3: Everything's racing

Right now, everything’s racing. The vines are reaching upward, pushing their shoots toward the light with a speed that surprises even those of us who witness their rebirth every year. And we’re racing too, doing our best to keep up.

Temperatures this month have been mild – right in line with seasonal averages. But the frequent rains, often at night, have added a certain urgency to the pace in the vineyard. Vegetative growth took off with real energy, and today, green is everywhere.

We’re working non-stop in the vinyard. It’s time for shoot selection – one of the key steps in the growing season, where we determine which canes will carry the fruit to maturity. It’s hands-on, plant-by-plant work. In the younger vineyards, we’re also tying shoots to the training wires, and the number of shoots per vine is evaluated based on vigor and the pruning decisions made in winter.

When humidity or rainfall keep us out of the vineyard, we turn to maintenance around the estate: mowing grass, tidying up gardens, and handling small day-to-day tasks that are all part of the seasonal rhythm. Treatments have also begun, but we’re proceeding with care, always assessing actual need based on the weather. So far, everything is under control.

Meanwhile, in the cellar, bottling has started for the 2021 Brunello. It’s had slightly longer ageing than usual and will be ready for release in January. The other wines continue their journey in barrel, with topping-up, targeted rackings, and ongoing monitoring. Each one moves at its own pace – and we follow it.

May is for Madre

Mother’s Day has just passed, and here at Poggio Antico, we’re celebrating it with the beginning of the replanting of Madre, our most ambitious project this year.

Madre is a parcel that stands apart from the rest of the estate – different in exposure, elevation, and soil structure. For that reason, it’s the perfect place to embrace a new, more adaptable approach – one designed to read change and respond to it.

This will be our test site for experimenting with different training systems and agronomic strategies. As was common in the past, we’ll also be introducing interplanting with olive trees and Mediterranean scrub to enhance biodiversity and strengthen soil vitality.

The goal is to understand which system best suits this context and offers the most effective response in terms of resilience, canopy-to-fruit balance, and adapting to climate change.

The Madre project is the real-world application of a viticulture philosophy grounded in continuous adaptation and a willingness to experiment – just one of the many pieces that make up the Poggio Antico method.

Beyond the Estate

Outside the estate, the work continues with meetings and events in key markets.

We’re happy to share a bit of great news: in the June issue of Wine Spectator, Bruce Sanderson named our Brunello 2020 among the Top 18 of the vintage. It’s a meaningful recognition – we’re very proud to be listed alongside producers we hold in the highest regard.

We’re on the right track!