Louis Latour Agencies

The Harvest at Banfi 2021

03 September 2021

The Banfi team are delighted with the harvest of 2021. Both Montalcino and Piedmont had a smooth start last week and began with harvesting the whites – Pinot Grigio, followed by Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Vermentino in Tuscany, while in Piedmont the harvest began with Pinot Noir and Chardonnay (for Alta Langa Sparkling Wines). The harvest at Castello Banfi will take around 8-9 weeks, finishing in the second half of October, with the Cabernet and Cabernet Franc being the last varietals to be picked.

Climatic influences responsible for late spring frosts, such as the one experienced in April of this year, and unpredictable rainfall, have left this year’s vintage notably dry. Statistically, this vintage has experienced a higher percentage of dry conditions caused by higher temperatures combined with different and less consistent periods of rainfall.

CEO and family proprietor Cristina Mariani-May believes that climate change is a factor affecting the life cycle of the vineyards. She says, “For the last 10 years, we have experienced a high level of variability during the harvest. There is no longer a typical vintage pattern or harvest season, which makes it critical to analyze and treat each harvest on its own.” 

Banfi uses canopy management and different methods of irrigation as its main tools to adapt to the ever-changing climatic conditions in the vineyards. The focus is on keeping the vines healthy; maintaining a good metabolism and avoiding a level of stress that could lead to harmful disease. One of the challenges is the impact of sunlight intensity and extreme heat on the grapes and the need to protect the grapes from too much direct UV exposure. If they are not protected, the grapes will protect themselves, producing substances that bring an unwelcome bitterness to the wine. At the same time, the bunches need ample air circulation so that any excessive rainfall does not lead to humidity.

To understand the evolution and maturation of each vineyard, Banfi General Manager, Enrico Viglierchio implements a sampling plan which is a key aspect of the harvest, producing results based on analytic data which are supplemented with visual inspection and tasting. He says, “This process takes place twice a week, in the lead up to the harvest. For some of the wines, such as Poggio alle Mura, Summus and Excelsus, this sampling process is done daily.”

The decision on when to begin picking is based on many different factors including judging the balance between sugar concentration and acidity, the elements responsible for imparting freshness, varietal expression, and which have a direct correlation to the final wine and its longevity. Here, the maturation of polyphenols contributes to tannin structure, alcohol and colour.

“The last 3-4 weeks of harvest are the most vital to achieve the full aromatic and flavour development of the grapes,” Cristina Mariani-May reminds us. “The weather during this time can be the deciding factor between a 4 or a 5-star vintage.”

“Another influence of climatic variation is the need to consider each individual grape versus each bunch”, says Enrico. There is a major emphasis on berry selection after destemming. The technology used at Banfi, of optical selection, is incredibly efficient and extremely precise, considering every single berry is different. The technology is so advanced that it can sort and separate the grapes, not only based on dimension and regularity, but also for colour intensity.

Despite its size and capacity, 40% of the harvest at Castello Banfi is still done by hand, with around 200 people taking part made up of 90% Banfi employees and seasonal pickers who return year after year to participate in Banfi’s annual harvest.

Although Castello Banfi is a luxury property with a world-class wine portfolio, the end of the harvest is celebrated in a traditional and perfectly informal way. After the last vinification in mid-November, colleagues from the technical, agricultural, and winemaking teams come together for a country-style BBQ with an open fire pit and everyone brings their favourite wine of the moment to the party.

 

A report from Montalcino, August 31^st, 2021