August 2024 opens with rising temperatures and great vegetative activity. The grapes slowly begin to change color, while we at Agricola Marrone are busier than ever among the rows, aware of the importance of our interventions close to the very delicate phase of the harvest.
The new month opens with great heat and significant humidity levels: two factors which, combined with the large water amount stored in recent weeks, contribute to the acceleration of the vegetative activity of the plants and the ripening of the fruits. Like every year, we excitedly witness the first visible phases of veraison: the first Barbera grapes are tinged with purple, those of Moscato begin to yellow, in a riot of new colors that bring many promises for the future.
Aware of the risks and potential critical issues linked to the high humidity index, we continue to fight daily to keep the leaf wall healthy, a fundamental surface for the accumulation of sugars. The foliar treatments and the work to eliminate the grass under the row are therefore continuing, while we are temporarily suspending the thinning operations: we hope to resume the operations to remove the excess of vegetation towards the middle/end of the month, in order to guarantee maximum light supply – and therefore sugary – with every grape. The soil – extremely compacted after numerous rains and the passage of tracked machinery – was finally aerated thanks to the passage of the subsoiler.
Every operation is now conducted in the pure interest of the harvest, the peak moment of our activity as winemakers, the phase that gives meaning to our meticulous efforts month after month to have healthy vineyards and fruit of impeccable quality. Excited and ready for this fundamental moment, we have completed the last bottlings, starting at the same time the sanitization operations of environments and tanks.
With immense emotion and great trepidation we are heading towards the last weeks of intense work between the rows, aware that each step is – now more than ever – fundamental for the success of a happy and excellent harvest.