Meteorological trends
In the first quarter of the year the rainfall was exceptionally low while the temperatures, compared to previously recorded averages of the same period, were higher in January and February and normal in March. March was characterized by temperatures that were above average in the first three weeks and temperatures considerably below average in the last week.
The months of April and May recorded temperatures slightly above average, sunny days and significant temperatures with only a few events of light rain. June was notably cooler, with temperatures of almost 4 º C below the average norm and with a rainfall double of the recorded
average. This replenished local water reserves abundantly. July and August fell within the norm: with maximum temperatures regularly over 30 C and some days that exceeded the critical temperature values of 36-37 C.
Rainfall was concentrated to a few intensely powerful events that were not favorable to the plants growing on hills because of heavy runoff. The month of September had two phases: the first 20 days were a succession of beautiful days with temperatures well above average characterised by
sunny and dry weather; whereas the second half of the month was characterized by strong thunderstorms, sometimes accompanied by violent hailstorms, and a drastic drop in temperatures. In October, rainy days were frequent, especially in the second half of the month, and temperatures
were above average in the first half of the month and below average in the remaining half.
In summary, 2020 was characterized by a month of decidedly “cold” and rainy days in June and an autumn that made its debut with excessively hard rains and a sudden drop in temperatures.
Monthly temperatures and rainfall in 2020 from the municipality of Montepulciano
Phenological and Plant Growth Behaviour
The germination started in the last week of March and ended only at the end of the second half of April. In fact, low temperatures between the 23rd and 26th of March and between the 1st and 3rd April slowed down the nascent opening of the buds, dilating this phenological phase.
The growth of the buds in the months of April and May was steady, but slower than normal because of a notable difference of temperature between day and night, and the limited hydration in the soil, especially in shallow soil.
The flowering of most of the Sangiovese vineyards was concentrated in the latter half of May and this was short and fast. In varieties such as Canaiolo, Trebbiano and Malvasia and in vineyards located at high altitudes the flowering ended around the middle of June because of abundant rains and a temperature drop that occurred between the 5th and 12th of June.
Not until June 20 did temperatures reach summer levels, with peaks of 27 to 30 º C’ Plants then grew at a sustained pace thanks to the abundant rains which restored sufficient water to the reservoirs.
Plant growth activity continued throughout the month of July and then slowed down and stopped in the second half of August when the water content of the land decreased, because of evapotranspiration induced by high temperatures. Only in some localised zones that had a steep
slope where July rains could not infiltrate, were water stresses and consequent partial defoliations recorded. The veraison began around the 20th of July and finished a month later, coinciding with the cessation of plant growth activity.
The latter phase of grape maturation was enhanced by the sunny weather and optimal temperatures of August and the first three weeks of September. This ended on the 20th of September when the temperatures dropped significantly and heavy rain affected the maturation, which had in most cases reached the end or almost, and then suffered a sharp deceleration. The rains caused a slight increase in the weight of the grapes and a downturn in maturation (with an increase in sugar and decrease in acids) however this did not prevent the phenolic maturation process from taking place, therefore a balanced composition was still obtained.
The rains interfered with harvesting operations that began around the 15th of September in parts of the denomination. The harvest therefore continued until the first week of October to avoid any deterioration of crops because of botrytic infection.
Summary of The Main Phenological Phases
Germination: 28 March – 19 April.
Flowering: 22-31 May.
Veraison: 21 July – 21 August.
The Wines Of 2020
During tasting, the wines of 2020 presented intense color, a fine aromatic varietal expression, and a healthy structure supported by normal acidity and tannins. On an analytical level, these wines demonstrated medium values of intensity and colour tone, acidity, pH, extracts, and total
polyphenols. The alcohol content grade is medium high. In summary, balance and elegance represent the peculiarities of the wines of 2020.
