newsletter

Warm greetings to you all! It’s already late autumn and therefore the time to draw some overall conclusions about the 2020 harvest that just ended.
We mentioned in our last newsletter that in our area, and in particular for those of us who have chosen the path of farming organically, it was certainly a difficult growing year, with plenty of heavy rains, sometimes along with hail, that accompanied us from June on, almost right up to the start of harvest.
Our hard work in the vineyard over the entire summer continued unabated into the harvest, when we had to be much more selective than usual in what we were picking—always, it goes without saying, strictly by hand-, in order to bring in only the soundest clusters, even if that meant a severe drop in our final crop.
Right now, we are especially happy with the wine from the grapes we brought in early, and I’d say that the whites that will go to make up RINE’ are very good, and the Pinot Noir rosé for ROSANOIRE.
Since the quantity of Groppello that we ended up with was so small, we decided to use all of it for VALTENESI CHIARETTO, which should be quite impressive.
It’s still too early to evaluate the reds designed for ageing. The most we can say is that we picked about half of what we usually do, and the wines right now look like they’ll be less powerful than usual, much like in cooler years, such as 2005 or 2008—for those lucky enough to have tasted them--, but we will really know only after time and a lengthy maturation in oak.
In spite of our commitment, this year we were not able to carry out the appassimento process for the grapes to produce our Sole di Dario. We certainly did try, but after a few crates of grapes we had to give up. One can’t force the delicate process of natural dryng, and this year the weather conditions were just not favourable. All of which just goes to prove that this is a special wine that can only be made in the best of years.

Recognitions and tributes to our VALTENESI CHIARETTO “a rose is a rose is a rose”:
The Cento Vini Rosa d’Italia guide (Slow food Editore)
The AIS Lombardy Viniplus 2021 guide awarded its Rosa Oro.
You’ll find our usual account of the harvest in our Gallery.
And finally, just two words about the world health crisis, which in this crazy 2020 has affected everyone, some economically, others in their own health or that of their loved ones as well, and certainly all of us in the limitations on our freedom of movement and in the changes to our life-style.
Let me remind you that the current situation has meant the cancellation of all events that were scheduled for this autumn. We were, however, to organize on 11 October, though on a reduced scale, a very successful day on the occasion of the Profumi di Mosto celebration.
Winegrowers, vignerons throughout the world, are a resilient human species, like their vines, used to undergoing the challenges of nature and then starting over with each new season. Here at Cantrina, we have never stopped, not even during last spring’s lockdown, and we cannot / must not do in the months ahead. Instead, in just a few days, we will begin to get the vineyards ready for their new year.
We want to thank all of you who have come to Cantrina over these past months, in numbers higher than ever before, wine-lovers from half of Europe and far beyond. Our customers, our supporters—our friends, we hope-, from the individual wine fan to the largest distributor, are the most important stimulus and font of energy that keeps us advancing forward with faith in the future, the gasoline, if you will, on the fire of our passion for our work as winegrowers. The door of our winecellar is always open, and we are always delighted to welcome you or simply to answer your email….
Thank you, thank you, and thank you again,
Cristina and Diego