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2021 year-end report

posted on 17 December 2021

Here we are at the end of 2021, and it has been even more stressful and challenging from various points of view: the freeze we had in the spring; the uncertainties we are all aware of, that make it so hard to make long-term plans; the work that we had to do, which exceeded all mid-year and later projections; and finally our usual autumn newsletter is off the presses so late.

Cantrina is known for producing, in very limited editions, wines whose hallmarks are decisive personalities and strong characters, in some cases utterly unique, wines that targeted to niche markets of dedicated wine-lovers and represent the quintessence and vital spirit of our winery. Once again, therefore, we want to thank all of you, for you are not simply customers but real friends as well, loyal fans who every year accompany us on our adventure and support us, through your visits to our cellar and your appreciation of what we make. Here is some summary information:

Growing year

“Little but fine”: the spring freeze, right from budbreak on, reduced the crop way down, but with much patience and attention, we were able, at the end, to bring into the cellar high-quality fruit. We’ll certainly not have as many bottles of some of our wines, but there will be some significant surprises as well, especially regarding our more cellarable wines.

New vintages

We just released Nepomuceno 2017 -and some of you have already have it in your cellar!-, whereas the new vintages of the rosés, both Rosanoire and Valtènesi Chiaretto will be ready in late February. Spring will see the debuts of Zerdí 2019 and Groppello 2021. A new development regards the bottle label of Groppello, which will change its name to MYGroppello, to underscore the fact that it is our own very personal interpretation of this native grape.

Riné

Another important piece of news regards Riné our only white. The supply of the 2019 vintage just ran out, and after lengthy, serious consideration we decided to put off at least until autumn 2022 release of Riné 2020. True, it has been in the bottle now since 23 July, but it simply needs more maturation time to fully express its personality, and we felt than now is the right time to return to giving it the time and attention it richly deserves. We spent time considering all aspects of this move, and in some ways the decision was very difficult, but I hope that the outcome will be understood and appreciated at the appropriate moment in its future. In any case, we will shortly give you a more detailed report on this.

Meet up with us

The Mercato dei Vignaioli just took place, and the next edition will be at Vinitaly 2022 in the FIVI area...

We wish all of you and your families a Happy Christmas! And we await you in the cellar in 2022! Cristina and Diego

Epiphany 2013

posted on 6 January 2013
Yes, here I am again, now that the Befana, the traditional Good Witch of the Epiphany, has landed. She is bearing you, along with Diego, a full load of our warmest wishes for the New Year, and I personally wish that I too could bring you presents, but can you just picture a Befana scattering bottles of wine while trying to fly her broom at the same time?! So it’s better for the moment that the bottles continue to rest in the cellar, and that way they will be here for you when you come–invitation!–to visit us over the course of 2013 to taste them with us. Now, as far as what’s coming up in the near future …

Harvest 2012

posted on 8 October 2012
It’s incredible: it seems as though we barely finished the 2011 harvest and here we are already at the end of this odd, totally crazy 2012!!! Yes, odd, since what else would be the right word to describe a growing year that started off with such a mild, dry winter that there was no snow, not even on the mountains, followed by a rainy, wet spring that created no lack of problems in the vineyards, which were trying to flower, then all of a sudden it was summer, and one of the hottest of recent years to boot? Hot and dry that is, until heavy rains came during the last stage of the growth cycle. So, changing environment, creeping tropicalisation of our climate? Who knows, but our job as winegrowers, and it isn’t an easy one, is to interpret as best we can what nature sends us, and so…

Crazy weather!

posted on 6 June 2012
Greetings to all of you, just a few months after our last newsletter, here we are again, right in the middle of a new growing season. “We just don’t have real seasons anymore,” has become a set-phrase overused by almost everyone, but it certainly is right on the mark for this crazy start to 2012! December and January were cold and dry, then February was freezing, followed by a March that was almost summer-like. Heavy rains and snow arrived only in late spring, with temperature swings of as much as 10-15oC between one day and the next. All of this crazy weather nevertheless brought the vineyards into very fine growing conditions, with growth that is quite vigorous, maybe even too much, since the vines are keeping us running to keep everything balanced and to monitor the crop.
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