How we prepare for harvest at our winery in Tuscany Alta Maremma

Harvest begins well before the first bunch is cut. From veraison onward, water reserves, temperature patterns, berry colour and skin texture are monitored while the team waits for fruit to balance freshness and concentration. Picking dates depend on the season, grape condition and intended expression rather than weather alone.

Work becomes increasingly precise as summer advances, sometimes reaching individual rows and bunches. Sugar is only one measure of ripeness; acidity, structure and berry integrity are also essential. Hot conditions can move harvest forward, while rain and moderate weather can lengthen the season.

The cellar is prepared simultaneously: tanks are readied, spaces organised and the team aligned. Once fermentation begins, timing tightens and decisions must be made clearly. Cabernet Franc receives particular attention as a defining language of the estate, with every vintage offering a new reading of how the territory and vines have responded.