Harvest 2015 and a recommended reading
/Afterwards a quite difficult vintage, this 2015 harvest in Valpolicella looks a lot better, mainly for the red grapes. If 2014 has been claimed by the producers (in Verona area) as “a vintage for white wines”, 2015 is a “red wines vintage” definitely.
“The 2015 vintage is quite similar to 2007 - the Consortium Valpolicella says - The wines will be structured, full-bodied and alcoholic (15-16° Vol.)”.
A few data:
- This year (2015), the denomination reaches the maximum extension with its vineyards: 7,650 ha (18,903.6 acres). + 200 ha ( 494.21 acres) over 2014
- The grapes put to dry are 400,000 q.
- The turnover is around 350 million euro (+10% in 2014)
- More than 85% of Valpolicella wines are exported. In 2014, 60 million bottles have been sold
- The growth in the first seven months of 2015 is approx. 10% on average of the sales
- This year, more than 13 million bottles of Amarone will be produced.
Furthermore, due to the extraordinary quality of the healthy grapes, the Consortium Valpolicella has established that it is possible to put to dry the 50% of the whole production - in the last year was only the 35%, even less in some cases.
The grapes this year are good because the vintage so far has been healthier than the previous, although hot and drought (as in 2003). Furthermore, while in many areas the sunny days of July and August allowed the bunches to mature very well, giving them a high polyphenolic potential, in others the high temperatures might be slowed the ripening and the synthesis of sugars. Anyway, the vines have got to benefit from the thermal fluctuations throughout the harvest.
If we had to mention an issue, it is a certain lack of acidity, due to the high temperatures throughout the summer: this means that the wines will be likely a little bit less fresh, and less suitable to a long aging.
And speaking about withering, let me suggest this post on Palate Press: Amarone and Recioto della Valpolicella have a secret and in this article I’m going to show it…
