2026 Marche
Pievalta
The 2026 vintage was very hot. While the winter months saw good rainfall, above-average temperatures caused both budbreak and flowering to occur seven days earlier than usual. Spring brought frequent—though not heavy—rainfall, along with some pressure from fungal diseases fostered by the unseasonably warm temperatures; however, we managed to keep these in check through precise, timely interventions and limited copper use. The summer months were extremely hot and dry, with soaring temperatures—particularly in July and August—consistently exceeding 30°C and featuring prolonged heatwaves that pushed temperatures above 35°C. We managed the soil and canopy to ensure the grape clusters remained shaded and to lower soil temperatures. Harvest began on August 10th with the grapes destined for sparkling wine bases from the Maiolati Spontini vineyard and continued without interruption until September 7th, concluding with the final grapes from the Montecarotto vineyard. This meant that the harvest for sparkling wine bases aligned with previous years, whereas the harvest for the San Paolo and Cupramontana sites took place a week earlier than usual. Conditions during the harvest were scorching; picking began at first light and often finished by mid-morning. We improved our harvesting logistics to speed up the transport of grapes to the winery while maintaining our rigorous attention to the pressing stage and must management. Fermentation proceeded excellently, and we are very pleased with the resulting wines, which show ideal alcohol levels, excellent acidity, good pH balance, and clean, expressive aromatics. The foundations for producing wines capable of aging well are there, but with this “new” climate, we no longer have established reference points, and we try to learn something from every vintage—now more than ever.