Once again this year the grape harvest is approaching, and there is already that typical vibrant air of harvest that hovers here at the winery in Villorba, a positive air, full of expectations. As we do every year, we wanted to make a brief report about the vegetative progress of our vines to tell you and understand what awaits us for this new 2022 harvest: to do so, we interviewed Settimo Pizzolato and our agronomist Patrizio Gasparinetti, and some thought-provoking information emerged. Let's see what they told us.
What was 2022 like from a climate perspective?
"The year 2022 turned out to be a warm year: there were no spring frosts and it was characterized by even significantly above-average temperatures in some months of the year.
Climate change is having an impact on the plant's growth cycle. This year more than ever before, we have witnessed an acceleration of plant growth in May, with a subsequent slowdown in June, worsened in July, unfortunately complicit in the scarcity of rain and high temperatures."
What is the condition of our vineyards? How are the white and red grapes behaving?
"The condition of our vineyards is good thanks to the ability to manage water with the drip irrigation system during these last few months of drought. We are doing this very sparingly, just enough not to stress the plant.
This year we are also seeing a major ripening advance on white varieties, while red grapes we expect to harvest only a few days earlier than last year."
Our Piwi vineyards, on the other hand, how are they ripening?
"Piwi varieties, plants now in their fifth year of planting, are strong and vigorous plants, in full developmental regimen, now with a remarkable degree of hardiness. Our Piwi vines are in optimal condition and enjoying good health. Again, we have seen a remarkable advance in the ripening of some varieties, especially white varieties, such as Bronner and Johanniter, which seem to be very interesting, especially on the olfactory level."
What organic techniques have we deployed to counter the disease problem in organic farming?
"Facing a season with little rainfall, the foliar part was significantly less attacked by diseases typical of viticulture and we were able to decrease the number of treatments, reducing it by 30 percent compared to last year. In addition, as part of research and development, in addition to continuing our Mi.Di.Fen.Do project by adopting natural methods against Flavescenza Dorata, we adopted the use of chromotropic traps to monitor the presence and evolution of grapevine moths and to decide to carry out treatment only when these insects could create major damage to grapes. In addition, timely mechanical interventions to control the development of weeds in the under-row and those of topping and leaf removal to improve microclimatic conditions within the canopy counteracted the development of cryptogamic diseases (downy mildew, powdery mildew, botrytis)."
Any assessment also on the Glera act to Prosecco DOC?
"Glera production is very good and we can say that there will definitely be an early harvest: with the cool nights coming, although the day very hot, the acidity of the Glera grapes we are convinced will be preserved. We anticipate a remarkable balance of production of Glera, which has plants with an average age of 15 to 20 years, resulting in a very fragrant Prosecco."
Start of the grape harvest: what is the forecast?
"Due to the drought and high temperatures, we have witnessed a sharp advance in berry ripening. Therefore, in 2022, we estimate an early start of harvest around August 20, picking Piwi varieties first and then all white varieties, from Chardonnay to Pinot Grigio.
The entire Pizzolato staff is ready to tackle this 2022 vintage!
