THE 2023 HARVEST IS CLOSING IN SOUTH TYROL. THE RESULT IS POSITIVE FOR A VINTAGE FULL OF CHALLENGES WHICH WILL GIVE FRESH AND LIGHT WINES

“ The 2023 wine year was characterized by generally extreme weather conditions ,” says Andreas Kofler , president of the Alto Adige Wine Consortium . Relatively early sprouting in extremely dry months was followed by a rainy, cool spring and a humid summer. This year in Alto Aidge there was really nothing missing: peaks of heat in July and August, rain at the beginning of September and then finally the long-awaited dry autumn with warm days and cool nights. A lot of attention and even more work The humid climate above all forced the winemakers to increase their work in the vineyards enormously. “The precipitation was not extraordinary in quantity, but the humidity was constant ,” says Barbara Raifer , head of the Viticulture department at the Laimburg Testing Center, also underlining the consequent high presence of fungi. “ It was never possible to let our guard down, we always had to stay focused to avoid any damage ” also explains Markus Prackwieser of the Gump Hof in Fiè . The fact that, compared to other wine-growing areas, it was possible to get away with relatively minor damage is attributed above all to the great experience and micro-realities that characterize the wine industry in Alto Adige: “The presence of small-sized companies – explains the President Kofler - allows you to better deal with problematic situations, because it allows you to react faster ”. Kofler also highlights the role and quality of advice provided to winemakers. The biggest challenge was heat stress; especially in July when the vines were subjected to temperatures around, and even higher than, 35 degrees. “ Although the vines have a rather extensive root system, after the drought of the last few months the amount of water extracted from the soil was practically zero ,” explains Barbara Raifer of the Laimburg Testing Center . The physiological damage that occurred in some individual areas was probably a consequence of this stress linked to heat and drought. Yield planning is difficult, harvest is demanding. The challenges posed by this vintage were not limited to plant protection and irrigation. “This year it was also difficult to plan the yield, because the humid climate during the cell division phase led to having bunches that were too large, with the need to regulate the yield well in advance, without being able to evaluate how it would actually turn out the climatic trend has evolved ,” says Thomas Scarizuola , cellar master of the Kaltern winery . Even the harvest itself this year was more complex than usual: " Thanks to hand-picking, in Alto Adige it is possible to carry out a very careful selection, sending only the best bunches to the cellar" , specifies Markus Prackwieser , whose colleague Ivan Giovanett adds: "The scrupulousness and professionalism of the growers were certainly rewarded this year." White wines: a fresh, young and juicy vintage What can wine enthusiasts count on in view of the 2023 vintage? “ Especially regarding the white varieties, the sugar values remained lower than normal, consequently the alcohol content will also be lower ,” says Andreas Kofler . A lower alcohol content is exactly what the market requires, recalls the president of the Consortium. “ This year, therefore, nature has given us exactly what we were looking for ,” says Kofler. Although they do not know with absolute certainty what the low alcohol content is due to, Andreas Kofler and his fellow winemakers nevertheless agree that the white wines of the 2023 vintage will be fresh, bright, fruity and light. Red wines: elegant and not too robust There is also a climate of optimism regarding the 2023 red wines. Pinot Noir shows excellent maturation, even if the sugar content is lower than in other vintages. Schiava and Lagrein also benefit from the ideal climate these days - " this autumn is helping us a lot ", says Andreas Kofler - and promises a good year. Above all, Lagrein does not seem to have suffered too much from the capricious climate of spring and summer. Schiava, for its part, is now found almost exclusively in the most suitable areas, which has certainly contributed to obtaining good alcohol content, according to Barbara Raifer. However, not even the prospect of a very interesting vintage can make winemakers forget the enormous difficulties faced this year: “ While last year, more or less, everything went as it should, without any particular efforts, this year was much, much more work is needed ,” recalls the president of the Consortium Andreas Kofler . Which summarizes: "Compared to other areas, the situation in Alto Adige is still positive, because our farmers have their land perfectly under control and, for the most part, have done their work to perfection "