A Return to Classic Elegance

The 2024 growing season at Cerraia unfolded as a study in patience and adaptation. Following a mild, dry winter, an early warm spell triggered budbreak in late March – only for a three-week cold snap to restore nature’s rhythm. This pause proved prophetic for what would become a vintage demanding careful attention at every turn.

Spring’s persistent rains from April through mid-July required vigilant canopy management and organic treatments in our biodynamic vineyards. Our team worked tirelessly to maintain vine health, with careful shoot positioning and natural preparations ensuring balanced growth despite the humidity. When summer finally arrived, July and August’s warm, dry weather brought welcome stability – though the season’s slow progression was already established.

Picking was done on October 9th under cool conditions. We implemented strategic leaf-thinning to optimize air circulation and sunlight exposure, crucial in this humid year. Harvest was late, but we waited for appropriate timing to reach perfect phenolic maturity.

The extended growing season yielded abundant fruit with slower sugar accumulation, resulting in wines with uncommon aromatic complexity – floral and red fruit notes with earthy undertones, elegant structure with refined tannin and vibrant acidity. 

In the cellar, gentle extraction and native fermentation preserved the vintage’s delicate character. Early tastings reveal Sangiovese with exceptional purity – wines that speak clearly of Cerraia’s terroir while capturing 2024’s unique personality. This challenging but rewarding vintage proves that sometimes, the greatest results come not from nature’s generosity, but from her lessons.

Biodynamic Harmony in a Challenging Vintage 

The 2023 growing season challenged Tuscan vineyards with a wet spring, but Cerraia’s biodynamic approach proved its value. While many estates struggled with downy mildew after heavy May-June rains, our biodynamic treatments strengthened vine health, reducing the need for interventions. Our 500m elevation and breezy slopes provided natural advantages, but the real protection came from our thriving ecosystem – healthy soil life and beneficial insects working in balance.

The summer heat found our vines prepared. Biodynamic compost had deepened root systems, allowing optimal use of spring water reserves without stress. By August, the rewards became clear – canopies displayed extraordinary balance, and berries developed thick, healthy skins. Nightly temperature drops (up to 18°C difference) perfected aromatic complexity while maintaining acidity.

Harvest was finished on September 20, with Sangiovese arriving at perfect maturity. In the cellar, native yeast fermentation proceeded smoothly – a testament to vineyard health. First tastings reveal the vintage’s signature: wines with remarkable structure and velvety tannins, yet carrying a new depth of mineral nuance and vibrant fruit purity that speaks to our biodynamic transition. Where others saw challenges, Cerraia 2023 demonstrates how working in rhythm with nature transforms difficulties into opportunities for exceptional wine.

Heat, Patience, and Precision of Vintage 2022

The 2022 vintage at Cerraia overcame extreme conditions to produce remarkably balanced wines. Following a dry winter that allowed thorough pruning, an early budbreak fortunately escaped frost damage. As summer’s relentless heat arrived, our organic practices proved vital – vibrant microbial life in untouched soils enhanced water retention in the deep galestro, while diverse cover crops protected precious moisture, preserved soil biology and humidity. Our minimal canopy intervention allowed vines to self-regulate. Critical August rains arrived just as vines needed hydration most, extending ripening while lowering sugar concentration – allowing optimal phenolic development without excessive alcohol.

Harvest began on September 28th, yielding healthy grapes thanks to low disease pressure from the dry conditions. 

While 2022 ranks among the hottest years (comparable to 2017), timely rains and precise farming saved the vintage. The wines showcase how altitude, wise vineyard decisions, and low-intervention winemaking can transform climatic challenges into elegant expressions of Sangiovese. A testament to Cerraia’s resilient terroir and our team’s adaptability

A Year of Balance and Harmony

The 2021 growing season at our 500-meter vineyard in Castellina in Chianti showcased how elevation transforms classic conditions into something extraordinary. Spring rains promoted vigorous canopy growth while building crucial water reserves, with our high-altitude position offering natural advantages—constant breezes kept fungal pressures at bay, allowing the vines to remain exceptionally healthy despite the region’s brief post-Easter cool spell. 

Summer brought typical Chianti Classico dryness, with only sporadic August rainfall, but our vines never suffered stress—the deep galestro soils and careful canopy management preserved hydration. Temperatures remained moderate, avoiding the heat spikes that challenge lower sites. Yet the true magic came in late summer: as others contended with residual warmth, Cerraia’s altitude delivered perfect diurnal swings of 15–20°C. Days peaked at an ideal 28–30°C, while nights cooled to 12–14°C, preserving acidity and intensifying aromatics.

Harvest began on Nov. 12nd, slightly later than lower vineyards, revealing Sangiovese with remarkable equilibrium—thick skins, yet with a rare suppleness. The wines embody the vintage’s harmony: vibrant red fruit, polished tannins, and a Burgundian tension beneath Cerraia’s classic structure. This is 2021’s lesson—that altitude doesn’t just adapt to climate; it elevates it. A vintage of finesse, typicity, and unmistakable terroir expression.

A Promising Vintage Shaped by Challenges

After a cool spring, a long, hot summer followed, marked by significant day-night temperature variations. Moderate minimum temperatures in July and August allowed the grapes to ripen slowly and perfectly. Timely rainfall in June and September also ensured the vines never suffered from water stress. These conditions set the stage for an outstanding vintage, with wines of remarkable structure and balance.

However, the growing season was not without its difficulties. A late winter chill in early April brought four nights of freezing temperatures during budbreak, impacting yields across Tuscany. Fortunately our well-exposed high-altitude vineyards escaped major damage.

From budbreak to early summer, the season mirrored the exceptional 2016 vintage—another sign of this year’s potential. Despite an estimated 10% drop in production due to the April frosts, the quality of the fruit promises a vintage worth remembering.