The last few days there has been a great and pleasant bustle in Piedmont. The hazelnut harvest has already been going on for quite some time and last week started the grape harvest. Harvest started earlier this year compared to other years due to continued heat. During the “Fiera di Castagnole” the first quotas were given, some 410 euros per 100 kg of hazelnuts. The quality is supreme, but the available quantity has gone down.

In the morning already from 6:30 AM there are tractors loaded with grape boxes, followed by the grape pickers (usually staff of co-operatives) going to and coming from the vineyard. The whole day the best of the Moscato grapes and other white varieties is being picked. In about two weeks it is the turn of the Nebbiolo grapes.

Grapes of the Chardonnay and Pinot type, which are being picked at the moment, have a very good quality, medium sugar content, and absolutely no trace of botrytis (grape fungus). Thus, they are immediately well in terms of consistency. Incidentally, they are particularly "full", the sugar gradation is good but not excessive. Despite the extreme temperatures, you could certainly argue that the plants had not experienced the "stress" which they had in 2003 due to a similar heat.

urthermore, this year again there are a lot of quality controls: Consorzio Barolo Barbaresco Alba Langhe and Dogliani, along with Vignaioli Piemontesi, Unione Produttori Vini Albesi and three other parties (Coldiretti, Unione Agricoltori, Cia) and the additional help from the Monagri Service of the University of Turin. The result of their work is coordinated by the Research Centre of Enocontro. So a lot is being done to get the maximum out of what "terroir" has to offer. If you wish to experience the harvest up close and get a detailed explanation from the pickers, contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..