2009 Tuscany Vintage

The 2009 season in Montalcino ran in two distinct phases. Spring brought many days of rain and a large build-up of water in the soil, and this rather rainy phase lasted longer than normal, until mid-July. The summer that followed was very dry and hot, and the Consorzio said the stored water proved very useful; ripening improved from mid-August and then held a regular course. In Chianti Classico, Michael Schmelzer of Monte Bernardi in Panzano described a season that started with close to record-setting winter rainfall, then brought the hottest and driest growing season since 2003, with hot days tempered by cooler nights. Two extremely hot days of 40 C in mid-July cost his young Curva vineyard some crop. Across Italy, apart from some parts of the south such as Sicily, Wine Spectator reported extremely hot weather in August, and some called it the hottest August in almost 50 years. Hans Vinding-Diers of Argiano told Wine Spectator that it rained in September almost everywhere in Tuscany but not a single drop fell at Argiano, while Monte Bernardi saw a dramatic cooling in September. Brunello picking began on 22 September 2009 in the southern zone of Montalcino, where the Consorzio said ripeness had already reached the optimal level, and at Monte Bernardi the harvest was early. For quantity, a level similar to 2008 was expected, with a probable slight decrease in percentage terms.

• Montalcino spring: many days of rain lasting until mid-July, building up water reserves in the soil
• Summer: very dry and hot in Montalcino; the hottest and driest growing season since 2003 at Monte Bernardi, with two 40 C days in mid-July
• September: Hans Vinding-Diers of Argiano told Wine Spectator it rained almost everywhere in Tuscany; a dramatic cooling at Monte Bernardi
• Harvest: Brunello picking began on 22 September 2009 in southern Montalcino; volume expected similar to 2008, probably slightly lower

In Montalcino, the Consorzio's harvest-day release called grape quality very high, with rather high potential alcohol but optimal levels of total acidity and extract, and polyphenols of great depth and balance. Vinding-Diers told Wine Spectator that rain the previous winter and in June let vines on the southern side of Montalcino combat the extreme heat and dryness in August. Wine Spectator suggested that cooler growing areas with good drainage, such as Chianti Classico, Chianti Rufina and Valdarno, might have produced the best of 2009. Giovanni Manetti of Fontodi said: "It's a very good year for Sangiovese. The wines are clean and elegant with excellent acidity and perfumes." At Monte Bernardi, Schmelzer noticed fresh aromatics during fermentation and fine, mature tannins at pressing. On the coast, Sebastiano Rosa of Tenuta San Guido saw "awesome quality" and said the only drawback for his 2009 Sassicaia could be high alcohol, though the wine was still balanced. In the Maremma, consulting enologist Luca d'Attoma told Wine Spectator of problems with dehydration and shriveled grapes.

• Montalcino: very high grape quality per the Consorzio; rather high potential alcohol with optimal total acidity and extract
• Chianti Classico: named by Wine Spectator, with Chianti Rufina and Valdarno, among cooler, well-drained areas that might have produced the best of 2009
• Bolgheri: Sebastiano Rosa of Tenuta San Guido told Wine Spectator of "awesome quality", with high alcohol the only possible drawback for the 2009 Sassicaia
• Maremma: Luca d'Attoma told Wine Spectator of dehydration and shriveled grapes in warm areas

Wine Spectator's December 2009 report said that on paper 2009 looked like an excellent year for Tuscany, thanks to a hot and sunny growing season, but that the vintage turned out mixed in quality as some vineyards suffered from too much heat and not enough water. It called the year a little tricky due to excesses of precipitation as well as heat and sunshine, while noting that some producers were calling 2009 one of their best vintages ever. Consultant Carlo Ferrini told the magazine: "The vintage should end up somewhere between 2004 and 2005." In Montalcino, the Consorzio forecast a vintage of excellent quality, and its president Patrizio Cencioni welcomed the forecasts for "un'ottima vendemmia 2009" (translated: an excellent 2009 harvest).

• Wine Spectator: excellent on paper, but mixed in quality, as some vineyards had too much heat and not enough water
• Carlo Ferrini: "The vintage should end up somewhere between 2004 and 2005"
• Consorzio del Vino Brunello di Montalcino (September 2009): a vintage of excellent quality was expected; no star rating appears in the sources