2018 vintage has been very peculiar, with tempe- ratures slightly above the average that fastened the vineyard’s life cycle and with a rainfall rate that could be defined tropical, with heavy rains and windy hot and sunny days.
Budding, flowering, fruit setting and veraison benefi- ted of this particular season, and the harvest started some days in advance for all the varieties, above all the Garganega.
Even if the rainfall rate was on the average, the long wetting hours, the cloudy weather and windy days affected times and methods of the spraying. The season was really challenging for our agrono- mists that operate with the “Soave Vineyards: ad- vanced defence model”, and consequently for the grape growers that has been called to several punctual actions for to grant the best result. Shared information and technical skills had permitted to define a effective defense line against mildew and other pests, preventing critical situations and per- mitting the grapes to ripe healthy.
After a season like the 2017, that we remember for the frost and the drought, 2018 has been a positive vintage for the producers. Garganega displayed long bunches and separated grapes, that are usually premise for a very good vintage.
The water reserves had been sufficient for ripening the grapes, with a number of bunches per vine above the average. So we operated a green har- vest for the DOC vineyards, while the most produ- cing vineyards has been intended to other appel- lations. That allowed to not exceed the quantity of 600 tons of grapes that means 420.000 hectoliters of Soave and Soave Classico, in line with the market requests. That is a balance that permits to keep the stocks very low and the prices stable.
