Com_St_2015_10_10_Vendemmia_ENG.pdf
A great vintage that will give perfumed and fruity wines, with excellent elegance and aging potential.
Up to the end of June, the vintage was characterized by a climatic trend that was cooler and rainier than seasonal averages, prefiguring a delay on the usual ripening of the grapes at the Donnafugata estate in Contessa Entellina.
In July the maximum temperatures were higher than the average values for the period, which favored the ripening process of the grapes, making up for the delay that was recorded up to June. The maximum temperature recorded in July was 39° C and the minimum 18° C, testifying to the considerable temperature fluctuations that characterize the hills of Contessa Entellina, favoring the concentration of aromatic precursors in the grapes that will potentially give very perfumed wines.
Compared to the average of recent years, the quantities prefigured a slight increase of around 10%; for this reason the green harvest was carried out in some Grillo, Cabernet Sauvignon and Nero d’Avola vineyards, aligning the production load with the company’s qualitative objectives.
Regarding precipitation, from 1 October 2014 to 30 September 2015, rainfall reached 763 mm compared to the 670 average of the last 10 years (www.sias.regione.sicilia.it).
The Chardonnay – the first variety to reach full ripeness – in some vineyards was slightly earlier; Donnafugata started harvesting the La Fuga vineyard from the 3rd of August, at nighttime. Thus we can avoid the risks of undesirable fermentations during the transportation of the grapes from the vine to the cellar and the volatilization of aromas during the pressing phase.
The harvest of Viognier started the 5th of August, the Sauvignon Blancwas harvested from the 11th of August, the 27th Grecanico and and Merlot, the 1st of September Grillo, the 2nd of September Nero d’Avola, the 4th of September Catarratto, the 6th of September Ansonica and Petit Verdot, 7th September Syrah and from 8th Cabernet Sauvignon.
Harvest was suspended for a couple of days due to the rainfalls on 8thSeptember afternoon and evening. The rain surely helped the conclusion of the phenolic maturation process of the red grapes, giving very silky tannins. Afterwords, Alicante was harvested from 11th, and Tannat from 15th. At Contessa Entellina Estate harvest ended on September 23rd.
The harvest was also very positive on Pantelleria where Donnafugata cultivates Zibibbo on about 68 hectares of vineyards. The harvested quantity on the island of sun and wind is in line with the winery qualitative objectives.
In Pantelleria the harvest started the 17th of August in Martingana vineyards and then continued in Punta Karace, Tracino, Bugeber, Bukkuram, Favarotta, Khamma, Ghirlanda, Gibbiuna, Mueggen, Monastero. The harvest of Zibibbo ended on the 24th of September in the district of Barone.
Thanks to a mostly stable climatic conditions during harvesting period, 2015 is a great vintage for both the whites and reds.
“Thanks to the fine weather, – explains Antonio Rallo, Donnafugata’s owner and winemaker – we harvested excellent grapes from all the vine varieties that are going to give us perfumed and fruity wines, with great elegance and aging potential.”
PUBLIC RELATION
Baldo M. Palermo [email protected] phone +39 0923 724226
Laura Ellwanger: [email protected] phone. +39 0923 724258
PRESS OFFICE
Nando Calaciura [email protected] mob. +39 338 3229837
