Here in Montalcino, the calm of summer is already behind us. The days are getting shorter, the light is changing, and at SanLorenzo, we’re back to the full rhythm of the season. In the vineyard and in the cellar, everything is in motion as we prepare for the upcoming harvest.
Bottling Brunello 2021: Making Space for What Comes Next
In the winery, we’ve just bottled our Brunello 2021. It’s a vintage we’re truly proud of. Yields were modest, but the quality is there – structured, intense, and full of character, as often happens in warmer years. This wine will be officially released in January, but it’s already resting peacefully in bottle, showing great promise.
Bottling at this time of year always has a double purpose. It marks the end of a journey for one vintage, and at the same time, it helps us make space for what’s coming next. In a small family-run winery like ours, cellar work is a bit like playing Tetris – moving barrels, tanks, and cases just in time, so the new harvest can find its place.
In the Vineyard: Balance, Veraison, and Hints of a Promising Vintage
Out in the vineyard, the growing season has been balanced and generous. July brought cooler temperatures and a few helpful rains. August started warm, but from mid-month, the heat gave way to milder days and cooler nights – just what the vines needed. Veraison began in early August and was complete by the 20th. The grapes now show excellent color, good sugar levels, lively acidity, and the kind of balance that gives us real hope.
If the forecast holds, the next two weeks should bring stable, sunny weather, and we expect to begin harvesting in early October. The way things are going, this vintage reminds me in many ways of 2010 – and I say that with cautious optimism.
And if you’d like to see it all with your own eyes, we welcome you to visit us. Come experience the beauty of this awakening and discover the work worthy of Brunello that lies behind each bottle we produce.
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