Solaia - Toscana IGT 2009

Solaia - Toscana IGT 2009

The season in the Chianti Classico production zone was characterized by an autumn and the following winter which were both cold and wet; winter rains guaranteed good and useful water reserves in the ground during the first part of spring, which was initially mild, without any return of winter cold. The bud break in the vineyard, accordingly, was a regular one and took place well within seasonal averages for the period; rain arrived in June and during the first days of the month of July and pushed the development of the vine vegetation. Flowering and bud set were also regular, even if the rains just cited influenced the size of the berries and the bunches, which began the summer well ahead in their ripening rhythm. The vines continued to vegetate quite abundantly during the summer months and then encountered a very hot and dry August and an initial ten days of September. Despite these conditions, the second half of September and the entire month of October enjoyed very favorable weather both in terms of the continuing warmth of the days and of the important temperature swings from daytime heat to evening and nighttime coolness. Both the Sangiovese and the Cabernet required a lengthy period on the vine to acquire full ripeness and finesse, to the point that picking took place principally during the first twenty days of October. The quality of the harvested grapes brought to the cellars was very high indeed, both in terms of their healthiness and, above all, of their ripeness and balance, raising expectations of a vintage of exceptional level.