Archives: Vini
Castello di Volpaia 2021
The 2021 vintage began with a rather hot March which was followed by a sharp drop in temperature at the beginning of April. Fortunately, this did not cause much damage to the buds. April and May were characterised by lower than average temperatures and plenty of rain. Summer was very hot and there was very little rainfall. From mid-August temperatures became milder with little rain continuing. The harvest began slightly earlier than usual.
Il Puro Casanova 2020
The 2020 vintage began with a relatively warm winter and spring that resulted in the vines budding and flowering early. Temperatures only dropped in the first 3 weeks of June only to rise again immediately and remain high throughout the summer, although they never reached peaks highs for long periods.
We had a particularly dry winter, but it rained abundantly in May and the first half of June. Rain stopped almost completely over the summer, only to start again towards the end of August and during the harvest. We can say therefore that summer was generally hot and dry and the vines only underwent moderate water stress. Harvest took place about a week earlier than is usual in recent years. When harvested, the grapes were perfectly healthy with thick skins and ripe seeds, even the ones harvested last when rain had begun again.
The 2020 vintage has produced Volpaia wines that are a bright colour and have a good acidity level without an excessive alcohol content. Compared to previous years they seem less concentrated but are more elegant
Prile 2016
The 2016 growing season began with scattered showers over most of the spring. This wet weather cleared way into early summer as June yielded hot and dry conditions. Bud break, veraison, and maturation began earlier than normal. Balanced weather through late summer and early fall led to perfect grape ripeness and an abundant healthy harvest.
Prelius 2021
The 2021 vintage will be remembered for the frost that hit Maremma, Tuscany on April 8, causing serious damage to the premature grapes. April and May were notable for lower than average temperatures and low rainfall. The summer was very hot and there was little rain. The harvest began a little earlier than expected.
Prelius Vermentino 2023
Annata particolarmente difficile per l’andamento stagionale. La 2023 è iniziata con un inverno mite e poco piovoso a cui sono seguiti i mesi di maggio e giugno caratterizzati da piogge abbondanti e ripetute che hanno causato, come in gran parte d’Italia, grossi problemi nel contenimento della peronospora. Con il mese di luglio le temperature sono salite notevolmente: l’estate è stata calda ed asciutta con alcune piogge alla fine di agosto che hanno permesso di completare la maturazione delle uve.
Balifico 2021
The 2021 vintage began with a rather hot March which was followed by a sharp drop in temperature at the beginning of April. Fortunately, this did not cause much damage to the buds. April and May were characterised by lower than average temperatures and plenty of rain. Summer was very hot and there was very little rainfall. From mid-August temperatures became milder with little rain continuing. The harvest began slightly earlier than usual.
Coltassala 2020
The 2020 vintage began with a relatively warm winter and spring that resulted in the vines budding and flowering early. Temperatures only dropped in the first 3 weeks of June only to rise again immediately and remain high throughout the summer, although they never reached peaks highs for long periods.
We had a particularly dry winter, but it rained abundantly in May and the first half of June. Rain stopped almost completely over the summer, only to start again towards the end of August and during the harvest. We can say therefore that summer was generally hot and dry and the vines only underwent moderate water stress. Harvest took place about a week earlier than is usual in recent years. When harvested, the grapes were perfectly healthy with thick skins and ripe seeds, even the ones harvested last when rain had begun again.
The 2020 vintage has produced Volpaia wines that are a bright colour and have a good acidity level without an excessive alcohol content. Compared to previous years they seem less concentrated but are more elegant.
Coltassala 2021
The 2021 vintage began with a rather hot March which was followed by a sharp drop in temperature at the beginning of April. Fortunately, this did not cause much damage to the buds. April and May were characterised by lower than average temperatures and plenty of rain. Summer was very hot and there was very little rainfall. From mid-August temperatures became milder with little rain continuing. The harvest began slightly earlier than usual.
Volpaia Vinsanto 2018
March was warm but the following months April and May were very cold and rainy. Good weather started from June 10th and the end of the month and beginning of July were very warm and dry. Intense warm from mid-July to end of August, interspersed with some rain that were able to guarantee the right humidity to the soil. In September and mid-October the weather was good but always with some scattered rain. Blooming was delayed of 10 days as well as flowering. In June vines started a sudden and vigorous development. Veraison began with some delay and continued fairly slow. Harvest started a few days later compared to the previous years.
Prelius 2022
Vintage characterized by very high temperatures from spring throughout the summer with very little rain. All phenological phases occurred earlier than the average. The vines suffered moderate water stress, interrupted by rains on August 18th and 19th that allowed the ripening process to be completed.
Castelprile Vermentino Superiore 2022
Vintage characterized by very high temperatures from spring throughout the summer with very little rain. All phenological phases occurred earlier than the average. The vines suffered moderate water stress, interrupted by rains on August 18th and 19th that allowed the ripening process to be completed.
Il Puro Casanova 2019
A hot March was followed by a very cold and wet April and May.Good weather started on June 10 and continued through the end of the month, with early July very hot and dry. The heat was sometimes intense from mid-July to the end of August, with occasional rain that kept the soil suitably wet. Through September and the first half of October the weather was mostly beautiful, interspersed with rainfalls.
Volpaia Vinsanto 2017
A record year for heat and drought throughout the growing season. This condition presented extremes which began early bud break in the vineyard followed by a spring frost over late April. The frost effected the lower portions of the Volpaia estate. Spring and summer months were dry with higher than average temperatures. Rainfall in mid-September helped the grapes achieve complete ripeness of tannins and other phenolic compounds despite low yields.
Volpaia Vinsanto 2014 – Vinsanto del Chianti Classico – Dolce
Vin Santo is still produced using the same labor-intensive process that was used hundreds of years ago. Towards the end of the growing season, before Volpaia harvested its white grapes, the winery picked the best bunches of Trebbiano and Malvasia to go into the Vinsanto. The grapes were taken to the winery’s Vinsantaia (left), a special attic where the bunches were hung from chains tied to the rafters and dried. The grapes are never touched during the maturation process. The windows were kept open in the Vinsantaia for the next few months, ensuring that the air in the large room was constantly being circulated. On February 10, once the grapes’ sugar levels were high enough, they were pressed and the juice put through a natural process of clarification. The highly- concentrated must was then fermented in small caratelli oak barrels already containing madre (“mother”) – a remnant of the thick residue left over from Vinsanto that had already been bottled – for five years.
Balifico 2020
The 2020 vintage began with a relatively warm winter and spring that resulted in the vines budding and flowering early. Temperatures only dropped in the first 3 weeks of June only to rise again immediately and remain high throughout the summer, although they never reached peaks highs for long periods.
We had a particularly dry winter, but it rained abundantly in May and the first half of June. Rain stopped almost completely over the summer, only to start again towards the end of August and during the harvest. We can say therefore that summer was generally hot and dry and the vines only underwent moderate water stress. Harvest took place about a week earlier than is usual in recent years. When harvested, the grapes were perfectly healthy with thick skins and ripe seeds, even the ones harvested last when rain had begun again.
The 2020 vintage has produced Volpaia wines that are a bright colour and have a good acidity level without an excessive alcohol content. Compared to previous years they seem less concentrated but are more elegant.
Volpaia 2021
The 2021 vintage began with a rather hot March which was followed by a sharp drop in temperature at the beginning of April. Fortunately, this did not cause much damage to the buds. April and May were characterised by lower than average temperatures and plenty of rain. Summer was very hot and there was very little rainfall. From mid-August temperatures became milder with little rain continuing. The harvest began slightly earlier than usual.
Castelprile Bianco Riserva 2021
The 2021 vintage will be remembered for the frost that hit Maremma, Tuscany on April 8, causing serious damage to the premature grapes. April and May were notable for lower than average temperatures and low rainfall. The summer was very hot and there was little rain.The harvest began a little earlier than expected.
Prelius Vermentino 2022
Vintage characterized by very high temperatures from spring throughout the summer with very little rain. All phenological phases occurred earlier than the average. The vines suffered moderate water stress, interrupted by rains on August 18th and 19th that allowed the ripening process to be completed.
Coltassala 2019
A hot March was followed by a very cold and wet April and May.Good weather started on June 10 and continued through the end of the month, with early July very hot and dry. The heat was sometimes intense from mid-July to the end of August, with occasional rain that kept the soil suitably wet. Through September and the first half of October the weather was mostly beautiful, interspersed with rainfalls.
Castello di Volpaia 2020
The 2020 vintage began with a relatively warm winter and spring that resulted in the vines budding and flowering early. Temperatures only dropped in the first 3 weeks of June only to rise again immediately and remain high throughout the summer, although they never reached peaks highs for long periods.
We had a particularly dry winter, but it rained abundantly in May and the first half of June. Rain stopped almost completely over the summer, only to start again towards the end of August and during the harvest. We can say therefore that summer was generally hot and dry and the vines only underwent moderate water stress. Harvest took place about a week earlier than is usual in recent years. When harvested, the grapes were perfectly healthy with thick skins and ripe seeds, even the ones harvested last when rain had begun again. The 2020 vintage has produced Volpaia wines that are a bright colour and have a good acidity level without an excessive alcohol content. Compared to previous years they seem less concentrated but are more elegant.
Prelius 2020
The 2020 vintage began with a relatively warm winter and spring that resulted in the vines budding and flowering early.Temperatures only dropped in the first 3 weeks of June only to rise again immediately and remain high throughout the summer. We had a particularly dry winter and spring with almost no rain in summer, only to start again towards the end of August and during the harvest. We can say therefore that summer was generally hot and dry with harvest taking place a few days earlier than usual.
Volpaia 2020
The 2020 vintage began with a relatively warm winter and spring that resulted in the vines budding and flowering early. Temperatures only dropped in the first 3 weeks of June only to rise again immediately and remain high throughout the summer, although they never reached peaks highs for long periods.
We had a particularly dry winter, but it rained abundantly in May and the first half of June. Rain stopped almost completely over the summer, only to start again towards the end of August and during the harvest. We can say therefore that summer was generally hot and dry and the vines only underwent moderate water stress. Harvest took place about a week earlier than is usual in recent years.
When harvested, the grapes were perfectly healthy with thick skins and ripe seeds, even the ones harvested last when rain had begun again.
The 2020 vintage has produced Volpaia wines that are a bright colour and have a good acidity level without an excessive alcohol content. Compared to previous years they seem less concentrated but are more elegant.
Castello di Volpaia 2019
A hot March was followed by a very cold and wet April and May. Good weather started on June 10 and continued through the end of the month, with early July very hot and dry. The heat was sometimes intense from mid-July to the end of August, with occasional rain that kept the soil suitably wet. Through September and the first half of October the weather was mostly beautiful, interspersed with rainfalls.
Il Puro Casanova 2018
March was warm but the following months April and May were very cold and rainy. Good weather started from June 10th and the end of the month and beginning of July were very warm and dry. Intense warm from mid-July to end of August, interspersed with some rain that were able to guarantee the right humidity to the soil. In September and mid-October the weather was good but always with some scattered rain. Blooming was delayed of 10 days as well as flowering. In June vines started a sudden and vigorous development. Veraison began with some delay and continued fairly slow. Harvest started a few days later compared to the previous years.
Balifico 2019
A hot March was followed by a very cold and wet April and May. Good weather started on June 10 and continued through the end of the month, with early July very hot and dry. The heat was sometimes intense from mid-July to the end of August, with occasional rain that kept the soil suitably wet. Through September and the first half of October the weather was mostly beautiful, interspersed with rainfalls.
Coltassala 2018
March was warm but the following months April and May were very cold and rainy. Good weather started from June 10th and the end of the month and beginning of July were very warm and dry. Intense warm from mid-July to end of August, interspersed with some rain that were able to guarantee the right humidity to the soil. In September and mid-October the weather was good but always with some scattered rain. Blooming was delayed of 10 days as well as flowering. In June vines started a sudden and vigorous development. Veraison began with some delay and continued fairly slow. Harvest started a few days later compared to the previous years.
Volpaia Brut 2019 – Brut Nature – Sparkling
A hot March was followed by a very cold and wet April and May.Good weather started on June 10 and continued through the end of the month, with early July very hot and dry. The heat was sometimes intense from mid-July to the end of August, with occasional rain that kept the soil suitably wet. Through September and the first half of October the weather was mostly beautiful, interspersed with rainfalls.
Volpaia Vinsanto 2016 – Vinsanto del Chianti Classico
The year began with an initially hot then rainy Spring up until the middle of June, followed by a hot and dry Summer causing seriously drought-stressed vines. Heavy rain in the middle of September , followed by a drop in temperature has helped the grapes mature perfectly.
Prelius Vermentino 2021
The 2021 vintage will be remembered for the frost that hit Maremma, Tuscany on April 8, causing serious damage to the premature grapes. April and May were notable for lower than average temperatures and low rainfall. The summer was very hot and there was little rain.The harvest began a little earlier than expected.
Castelprile Bianco Riserva 2020 – Doc Maremma Toscana
L’annata 2020 è iniziata con un inverno ed una primavera relativamente caldi che hanno determinato germogliamento e fioritura anticipate. Le temperature si sono abbassate solo nei primi 20 giorni di giugno, per rialzarsi subito dopo e mantenersi alte per tutta l’estate. Le piogge sono state scarse sia nell’inverno che nella primavera e praticamente assenti per tutta l’estate per ripresentarsi a fine agosto, durante la vendemmia. L’estate è stata quindi calda e secca. La vendemmia è avvenuta in anticipo di qualche giorno rispetto alla media degli ultimi anni.
Il Puro Casanova 2017
A record year for heat and drought throughout the growing season. This condition presented extremes which began early bud break in the vineyard followed by a spring frost over late April. The frost effected the lower portions of the Volpaia estate. Spring and summer months were dry with higher than average temperatures. Rainfall in mid-September helped the grapes achieve complete ripeness of tannins and other phenolic compounds despite low yields.
Prelius Vermentino 2020
The 2020 vintage began with a relatively warm winter and spring that resulted in the vines budding and flowering early. Temperatures only dropped in the first 3 weeks of June only to rise again immediately and remain high throughout the summer. We had a particularly dry winter and spring with almost no rain in summer, only to start again towards the end of August and during the harvest. We can say therefore that summer was generally hot and dry with harvest taking place a few days earlier than usual.
Balifico 2018
March was warm but the following months April and May were very cold and rainy. Good weather started from June 10th and the end of the month and beginning of July were very warm and dry. Intense warm from mid-July to end of August, interspersed with some rain that were able to guarantee the right humidity to the soil. In September and mid-October the weather was good but always with some scattered rain. Blooming was delayed of 10 days as well as flowering. In June vines started a sudden and vigorous development. Veraison began with some delay and continued fairly slow. Harvest started a few days later compared to the previous years.
Castello di Volpaia 2014 – Chianti Classico Riserva – Red
The year 2014 was fresh with frequent rains specially in spring and summer. Temperatures were very high in the second half of July, instead August was not very hot. The beginning of September a few rains started but mid-September the rain stopped and we had good weather until the end of the harvest. Ripeness of grapes was slow and the harvest started later than usually.
Balifico 2012
2012 summer was one of the hottest and droughtest season we
ever had in Volpaia and may be in the whole Tuscany.
Temperatures were very often over the average temperatures
of the season and rains that were copious in spring suddenly
disappeared for the all season causing a hydro-stress to the
plants. Rainfall of the first days of September, followed by a
period of good weather permitted a good trend of ripeness.
Yields were very low.
Balifico 2013
The growing season began with mild and damp spring conditions from abundant rainfall that continued into early summer. Temperatures remained below normal during the month of June, resulting in late bud break and flowering of the vines. July and August saw warm temperatures which assisted in vine growth, grape veraison and ripening. Cooler temperatures prevailed in late summer delaying the harvest to the more traditional time of mid-September, similar to conditions 15 years ago. The vintage produced wines that are balance and elegant.
Castello di Volpaia 2015 – Chianti Classico Riserva – Rosso
The 2015 growing season was very warm. Beginning in May, the growth cycle of the grapevines began 10 days earlier than any time in our recorded vinicultural history at the winery. The month of July presented a very hot period, including record heat throughout all of Italy. This hot and dry condition resulted in vineyard hydro-stress, which accelerated the verasional development in the grape clusters. Temperatures remained very high during August and September with minimal days of rain. This warm late summer and early fall period guaranteed fantastic ripening and produced outstanding quality.
Prelius Vermentino 2018
April was unusually warm and this brought an early bud break, while May was rainy with low temperature. Starting from June we had a mild and good weather, with scattered weak rains.
Veraison was anticipated while the harvest took place like other years.
Il Puro Casanova 2013
The growing season began with mild and damp spring conditions from abundant rainfall that continued into early summer. Temperatures remained below normal during the month of June, resulting in late bud break and flowering of the vines. July and August saw warm temperatures which assisted in vine growth, grape veraison and ripening. Cooler temperatures prevailed in late summer delaying the harvest to the more traditional time of mid-September, similar to conditions 15 years ago. The vintage produced wines that are balance and elegant.
Coltassala 2017
A record year for heat and drought throughout the growing season. This condition presented extremes which began early bud break in the vineyard followed by a spring frost over late April. The frost effected the lower portions of the Volpaia estate. Spring and summer months were dry with higher than average temperatures. Rainfall in mid-September helped the grapes achieve complete ripeness of tannins and other phenolic compounds despite low yields.
Balifico 2015
The 2015 growing season was very warm. Beginning in May, the growth cycle of the grapevines began 10 days earlier than any time in our recorded vinicultural history at the winery. The month of July presented a very hot period, including record heat throughout all of Italy. This hot and dry condition resulted in vineyard hydro-stress, which accelerated the verasional development in the grape clusters. Temperatures remained very high during August and September with minimal days of rain. This warm late summer and early fall period guaranteed fantastic ripening and produced outstanding quality.
Volpaia 2016 – Chianti Classico – Red
The year began with an initially hot then rainy Spring up until the middle of June,followed by a hot and dry Summer causing seriously drought-stressed vines. Heavy rain in the middle of September , followed by a drop in temperature has helped the grapes mature perfectly.
Castello di Volpaia 2018 – Chianti Classico Riserva – Red
March was warm but the following months April and May were very cold and rainy. Good weather started from June 10th and the end of the month and beginning of July were very warm and dry. Intense warm from mid-July to end of August, interspersed with some rain that were able to guarantee the right humidity to the soil. In September and mid-October the weather was good but always with some scattered rain. Blooming was delayed of 10 days as well as flowering. In June vines started a sudden and vigorous development. Veraison began with some delay and continued fairly slow. Harvest started a few days later compared to the previous years.
Volpaia 2019 – Chianti Classico – Red
A hot March was followed by a very cold and wet April and May.Good weather started on June 10 and continued through the end of the month, with early July very hot and dry. The heat was sometimes intense from mid-July to the end of August, with occasional rain that kept the soil suitably wet. Through September and the first half of October the weather was mostly beautiful, interspersed with rainfalls.
Il Puro Casanova 2016
Hot year since May with phenological phases 10 days earlier than average. The month of July was very hot (the hottest ever recorded in Italy) and dry, causing a slight water stress on the vines which favoured the start of ripening. Temperatures remained high throughout the month of August and September, but some rainy days during this period guaranteed the grapes to reach early maturation of exceptional quality.
Prelius 2018
Spring was fairly cool and rainy, particularly so in May.
The summer was hot with occasional very high temperatures.
As we had no irrigation water, luckily it rained occasionally during the second half of July.
Phenologic changes were delayed and on all the vines the grapes did not ripen until well into September.
Castello di Volpaia 2017 – Chianti Classico Riserva – Red
A record year for heat and drought throughout the growing season. This condition presented extremes which began early bud break in the vineyard followed by a spring frost over late April. The frost effected the lower portions of the Volpaia estate. Spring and
summer months were dry with higher than average temperatures. Rainfall in mid-September helped the grapes achieve complete ripeness of tannins and other phenolic compounds despite low yields.
Volpaia 2018 – Chianti Classico – Red
March was warm but the following months April and May were very cold and rainy. Good weather started from June 10th and the end of the month and beginning of July were very warm and dry. Intense warm from mid-July to end of August, interspersed with some rain that were able to guarantee the right humidity to the soil. In September and mid-October the weather was good but always with some scattered rain. Blooming was delayed of 10 days as well as flowering. In June vines started a sudden and vigorous development. Veraison began with some delay and continued fairly slow. Harvest started a few days later compared to the previous years.
Balifico 2017
The vintage began with a hot and then very rainy spring until mid-June, followed by a hot and dry summer with high water stress on the vines. A heavy rain in mid-September, followed by a lowering of the temperature, allowed the grapes to ripen perfectly.
Volpaia 2017 – Chianti Classico – Red
Record year for heat and drought, in which both the spring and summer months were characterized by higher than average temperatures and very little rainfall, resulting in poor vegetation development and reduced fructification.
The harvest was early and production was particularly poor; a vintage that I would define as unique.
Volpaia Vinsanto 2014 – Vinsanto del Chianti Classico – Dolce
Vin Santo is still produced using the same labor-intensive process
that was used hundreds of years ago. Towards the end of the
growing season, before Volpaia harvested its white grapes, the
winery picked the best bunches of Trebbiano and Malvasia to go
into the Vinsanto. The grapes were taken to the winery’s
Vinsantaia (left), a special attic where the bunches were hung
from chains tied to the rafters and dried. The grapes are never
touched during the maturation process. The windows were kept
open in the Vinsantaia for the next few months, ensuring that the
air in the large room was constantly being circulated. On February
10, once the grapes’ sugar levels were high enough, they were
pressed and the juice put through a natural process of clarification.
The highly-concentrated must was then fermented in small
caratelli oak barrels already containing madre (“mother”) – a
remnant of the thick residue left over from Vinsanto that had
already been bottled – for five years.
Volpaia Brut 2010 – Brut Nature – Sparkling
2010 was characterized by a fresh and quite rainy season.
All phenol phases were delayed of almost 1 week.
In Summer we never had very high temperatures and we never had a lack of water in the soil.
The development of the plants was good and they had good quantities of fruits.
Ripeness was slow and the harvest started slightly later compared to the last years.
Prelius Prile 2015 – Maremma Toscana – Red
Very warm and dry year. All phenological phases from budbreak to ripeness occurred 1 week early compared to the previous vintages. The growing season experienced scarce rains and high temperatures, especially in July (July was the hottest month in the recorded history of the winery
subjected vineyards to high hydric stress that was controlled by drip irrigation. Grapes at the time of harvest were healthy and perfectly ripe. The harvest began earlier than previous vintages.
Prelius 2019
Spring was fairly cool and rainy, particularly so in May.
The summer was hot with occasional very high temperatures.
As we had no irrigation water, luckily it rained occasionally during the second half of July.
Phenologic changes were delayed and on all the vines the grapes did not ripen until well into September.
Prelius Vermentino 2019
Spring was fairly cool and rainy, particularly so in May. The summer was hot with occasional very high temperatures. As we had no irrigation water, luckily it rained occasionally during the second half of July. Phenologic changes were delayed and on all the vines the grapes did not ripen until well into September.
Veraison was anticipated while the harvest took place like other years.
Passito di Nika 2017 – Passito di Pantelleria – Sweet
Hot year since May with phenological phases 10 days earlier than average. The month of July was very hot (the hottest ever recorded in Italy) and dry, causing a slight water stress on the vines which favoured the start of ripening. Temperatures remained high throughout the month of August and September, but some rainy days in this period ensured the grapes were able to ripen.
and grapes to reach early maturation of exceptional quality.
Il Puro Casanova 2015
Hot year since May with phenological phases 10 days earlier than average. The month of July was very hot (the hottest ever recorded in Italy) and dry, causing a slight water stress on the vines which favoured the start of ripening. Temperatures remained high throughout the month of August and September, but some rainy days during this period guaranteed the grapes to reach early maturation of exceptional quality.
Coltassala 2016
The vintage began with a hot and then very rainy spring until mid-June, followed by a hot and dry summer with high water stress on the vines. A heavy rain in mid-September, followed by a lowering of the temperature, allowed the grapes to ripen perfectly.
Citto 2018 – IGT Toscana – Red
An unusually hot April, which led to an early budding, was followed by a month of May with lots of rain and rather low temperatures. From June mild temperatures and beautiful weather, interspersed with several rainy events but of weak intensity. The veraison took place slightly earlier while the harvest was normal.
Castello di Volpaia 2016 – Chianti Classico Riserva – Red
The vintage began with a hot and then very rainy spring until mid-June, followed by a hot and dry summer with high water stress on the vines. A heavy rain in mid-September, followed by a lowering of the temperature, allowed the grapes to ripen perfectly.
Balifico 2016
The vintage began with a hot and then very rainy spring until mid-June, followed by a hot and dry summer with high water stress on the vines. A heavy rain in mid-September, followed by a lowering of the temperature, allowed the grapes to ripen perfectly.
