It’s harvest time at Scarpa: we spoke with winemaker Silvio Trinchero, who shared some insight about the season and gave us a sneak peek into the ongoing harvest.
Silvio, how did the 2023 season go?
This year, much like in 2022, we experienced extremely dry weather. The grapevines, especially in Monferrato, were subjected to significant water stress, receiving only half of precipitation levels that are typically seen in Langhe. Yet once again, the vines proved to be extraordinary plants, surprising us with their resilience and adaptability to climate change.
Vineyard management has been challenging this year. In Monferrato, we worked tirelessly to maintain vine balance and health, protecting the bunches from the intense heat. In Langhe, the transition to organic farming, which we embarked on this year, required great attention in managing the substantial rainfall in spring and summer as well as the frequent spikes in temperature.
How is harvest going?
We have certainly noticed a slight and unsurprising drop in quantity compared to 2022. This is especially true with early and aromatic varieties such as Moscato and .Brachetto, which we started to collect during the last week of August to preserve freshness and acidity.
September rain and milder temperatures have greatly helped other red grape varieties to reach maturation, especially Barbera, which is currently exceeding our highest expectations in terms of quality.
We plan to begin harvesting Nebbiolo in the first half of October. Despite the slight decrease in quantity, we are excited about the potential quality: diurnal temperature variation and stable weather forecasts for the upcoming days give us hope for optimal grape ripening.
