2011 Italy

Early reports from Barolo:
Davide Rosso reports that  it will probably be early harvest (for Nebbiolo). He adds that the warmest S/SW facing sites are heading towards overripeness; otherwise the fruit looks clean and ripe. Timing of the green harvest has been important; too early/zealously risks overly inflated fruit. Meanwhile the Barbera looks great; the Dolcetto however has started to suffer (from the hot days and fresh nights).

The 2011 wine vintage for Barolo started promisingly with another deep winter but then, as with most of Europe, March/April/May was unseasonally dry and warm; echoes of the 2007 vintage as the season leapt forward by at least a couple of weeks. Since then it's been a strange summer with hot weeks alternating with cooler fresh days.

There's been lots of 'afa' (humidity), important for photosynthesis under hot conditions, but little disease pressure to speak of; storms have threatened the worst but never materialised, leaving only a fresh, windy wake. August has been consistently hot (30 - 35 degree days) with fresh nights - the opposite of 2010. Yields are normal, nowadays maintained at a regular level through green havest.

(David Berry Green, BBR Buyer)