Harvest 2018: quantity is certainly higher than in 2017, while there is guarded optimism for quality

Quantities of the 2018 harvest are abundant, as we all know, whereas quality will only be able to be assessed in a few months’ time. Meanwhile, producers in some of the main Italian wine areas are showing guarded optimism for a year that looks good, and in some cases could be actually even great. Primo Franco of the Nino Franco winery, one of the Prosecco DOCG brands, spoke of a "nerve-racking, but satisfying harvest", and Silvano Brescianini, of Barone Pizzini in Franciacorta said, “The data analyzed up to now is ideal”. Paolo Endrici, of Endrizzi winery, in the heart of Trentino and Trentodoc, added, “quality seems excellent; there is an excellent balance”, while Franco Allegrini, at the head of the famous Allegrini in Valpolicella, commented, “the harvest had ideal climatic conditions”. Further, in Veneto for Soave, Andrea Lonardi, production manager of Bertani Domains, said the vintage is “delivering vertical wines, that are pleasant and immediate”, whereas Gianni Venica, of the Venica & Venica winery in Friuli, said he is pleased and though the year was “warm, there was stability in the vineyards”. In the Langhe, Pio Boffa, Patron of the historic Pio Cesare, talked about the quality, “elegant wines ready for the challenge of time”, while Emilia Nardi of Tenute Silvio Nardi, one of the top for Brunello di Montalcino, said, “the first wines have beautiful colors and interesting acid freshness” . Renzo Cotarella, CEO of Antinori in Chianti Classico commented, it is “not the harvest of the century, but it is certainly a good harvest”, while in Bolgheri, Carlo Paoli, director of Tenuta San Guido, explained that the “musts in the cellars have much less alcohol content than in 2017 and are beautifully fruity”. Marco Caprai, the wine producer who relaunched Sagrantino di Montefalco in the world, said “it was a regular harvest and vineyards were well balanced”, whereas the comment of Michele Bernetti of Umani Ronchi in the Marche was positive, “Verdicchio is well balanced and the reds are elegant”. Piero Mastroberardino in Irpinia said, “grapes are healthy and wines suitable for aging”, while from the slopes of Etna, Francesco Cambria, of Cottanera winery, said "whites are promising, reds elegant and not very concentrated”.