WINENEWS SURVEY – NO AGREEMENT ON THE 2007 HARVEST TOP ENOLOGISTS-AGRONOMISTS, CARLO FERRINI, RICCARDO COTARELLA AND LEONARDO VALENTI HAVE DIFFERENT OPINIONS ON THE OUTCOME OF THIS YEAR’S GRAPE SITUATION. FROM SICILY TO TRENTINO, THE FORECASTS ARE IN

WineNews asked the three most important technicians of the Italian wine sector to give their opinions on the outcome of 2007 grape harvest and, amidst the threat of a very early harvest and this year’s bizarre weather conditions, the forecasts have been made. But their responses were not exactly in agreement with each other.

The Tuscan enologist, Carlo Ferrini, who is not only consultant for many of the most important Tuscan wineries, from Castello di Fonterutoli to Barone Ricasoli, to Casanova di Neri and Castello di Romitorio - owned by Sandro Chia, one of the most quoted artists of the Transvanguard movement – Poliziano and Fattoria di Petrolo, also works in the regions of Trentino at San Leonardo and in Sicily at Donnafugata and Tasca d’Almerita, was fairly positive about the 2007 harvest. “Until now, it has been very beautiful. It is ahead in respect to other early years like 2002 and 2003, especially for varieties like Sangiovese, which is ahead by 10 to 20 days in certain areas compared to 2006, but the early grapes do not seem too far ahead, nor, particularly suffering. Alcohol levels will be more contained than those of 2006, acidity beautiful. Naturally, we are crossing our fingers”.

Riccardo Cotarella – enologist and consultant for many wineries from Di Majo Norante in the Molise region to Feudi di San Gregorio in Campania, from the Farchioni family’s Terre della Custodia in Umbria to Montevetrano in Campania, Galardi in San Patrignano, Castello della Cigognola in Lombardy, Castello di Volpaia in Tuscany, Abbazia Santa Anastasia in Sicily, and Falasco, which is co-owned with brother Renzo Cotarella (General Manager for the Marchesi Antinori) – was a bit more prudent.
“Up till now, one could imagine a great year for terrains that did not suffer drought, but where the lands have suffered the lack of water, and possibly the vineyards have not been adequately cared for, we can’t expect anything good at all. I don’t think that the early harvest is the most important issue, but rather the type of terrain, the conditions of the vineyard and the agricultural techniques (with which it is now possible to overcome even the most complicated situations) are very important. At this point, even if it rains, the early grapes will suffer, while for the later grapes, a bit of rain could help but I think it is preferable that the rain stays away rather than call for it. However, we are hoping for the best.”

Leonardo Valenti, Professor of Viticulture at the University of Milan and consultant for such wineries as Caprai in Umbria and the famous “bubblies” of Berlucchi, puts an emphasis on the anomalies of 2007: “The grapes in the north are very early, while, paradoxically, this early maturation is less noted in the south; the plants have, however, developed with regularity, developing fairly completely all of their vegetative phases, as opposed to 2003, where there was a sort of sudden explosion in maturation. In general, the grape harvest will have a lower alcohol level compared to 2006 and more accentuated acidity.
The ‘semi-earliness’ of the Sangiovese grape is surprising, and Nebbiolo is also early, while Merlot seems to be suffering less than predicted. In summary, the 2007 harvest is divided in two: in the center-north it is fairly good with the possibility of very good results in some areas, while in the center-south, it is not very different from the last two, with a slight decrease in quantity”.