The harvest begun 10 days later than in recent years but in favourable and more regular climatic patterns for the denomination.
“The outstanding quality of the 2019 harvest rewards us for the fatigue of the entire year, consisting of difficulties and dedication but also of successes that have resonated around the world,”said Innocente Nardi, president of the Producers’ Consortium for Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco.
“The accolade from UNESCO, but also including the 50th anniversary of the denomination and our ban on glyphosate, has made us the largest wine zone in Europe to forbid the use of this well-known herbicide.”
Quantity is down in 2019, with a reduced yield of of 3- 5% on the previous year after a typically cold winter and cooler spring with added rain.
According to the denomination this caused a delay in budbreak and was followed by a summer with typically hot temperatures, which partly allowed the vines to catch up.
The harvest, as usual, commenced in the most easterly zone and on slopes with the most exposure to sunlight, such as the vineyards at San Pietro di Feletto.
This was followed by the more central zone of the denomination and finally the vineyards of Valdobbiadene.
Earlier in the year the prosecco hills of Conegliano and Valdobbiadene were awarded UNESCO recognition as a World Heritage Site due to their ancient cultivation and landscape.
The wines from this 2019 harvest will be the first to take advantage of new production regulations passed in August, which, in addition to current permitted styles, allow for:
Sui Lieviti - sparkling wines that have been refermented in bottle.
Extra Brut - wine with residual sugar between 0 and 6 gr/lt.
