Nebbiolo harvest

It’s 9 a.m, Friday, the end of October. Humid air envelops Piedmont hills and the castle of Serralunga d’Alba can be barely seen behind a heavy of water curtain. The sun is trying to break through the low clouds and although a beautiful and warm day is forecasted, I bottom up my jacket. I’m in the Rivetto vineyard and with a camera in my hands I’m waiting for a start of Nebbiolo harvest. The last big grape picking this year. Year not easy for wine producers with rainy spring, moderate hot summer and capricious autumn: sunny and warm September, but irregular weather in October.

Nebbiolo wine grape variety, Piemonte, Italy
a cluster of Nebbiolo grapes

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Langhe in autumnal dress

Autumn. Weather not always spoils us, even in sunny Italy. But only few beautiful days are enough to compensate a gloomy period of the year and to feel summer for a moment. Taking advantage of harvest time and I made a tour around the Langhe. I was watching grapevine under every possible corner, in any possible composition, from the distance and from close-up, I was filling my eyes with stunning views admiring an incredible landscape of castles and little towns spread over the hills.

Langhe hills, Piedmont, Italy
colorful combs of a grapevine – Diano d’Alba area

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La vendemmia in the Rivetto vineyard

Clouds often cover the sky, the temperature dropped, trees are getting yellow, even pots outside my house changed the way they look like – geraniums and surfinias have given place to colorful heathers. The Langhe hills are ranging from orange to red shade of grapevine that free of fruits can finally go dormant. Meanwhile winemakers are keeping their nose to the grindstone on 2012 vintage, that according to experts looks like promising.

Serralunga d'Alba, Piedmont, Italy
Serralunga d’Alba seen from Rivetto vineyard

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The harvest time is coming

From the next weekend the busiest time of the year in Langhe and Roero vineyards is going to start. The grape harvest (la vendemmia) is just around the corner. This summer, except a couple of rainy days, the weather has been cooperating and nobody could complain about lack of sun. Therefore the harvesting period this year is a little bit earlier than usually.

Barbaresco vineyards, Piedmont, Italy
Barbaresco vineyards view

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