The relationship between soil, climate and wine has been known since ancient times. In our site we dedicated huge space to the territory, but climate is another matter. Each year weather events change, affecting the growth of the vine, the evolution of the plant and the ripening of the fruit. This is also why every vintage is unique.

Climate - the past one will be remembered as one of the coldest seasons in the last fifty years, especially in the northern hemisphere of Europe. Northern Italy went through frequent snowfalls and frosts. The uniqueness of this winter on the peninsula is evidenced in particular by four cold spells that reached northern Italy between December and January. (-11°C in Treviso and Venice and down to -47°C in San Martino di Castrozza in the Alps). The rigidity of this period has put a strain on the vine even if it’s characterized by a strong resistance to low temperatures. The heavy rainfalls and snowfalls of the past winter will guarantee a water reservoir that will be essential during the summer.

The pruning of the wood - If last year the beginning of this activity was in early March, in 2010 Manzoni Bianco had to wait until the third week of the same month to be pruned. The very low temperatures, in fact, delay the ideal time to perform this essential action; the plant is fatigued by frost and it is not suitable to subject it to additional stress.

The cry of the plant - coincides with the first day of spring, 21st March 2010. The cry of the plant is the moment when the vine is awakened and begins to sprout after the winter. This can be seen from a small "tear" on the end of the grapevine, exactly where it was cut. The tear is simply the first sap that flows out where the wood was pruned.

The budding - Light and temperature are the key elements in the process of budding. It began in mid-April and it was extremely interesting to observe all stages, from bud swelling to the opening of the same, the development of the buds until the green and lush foliage. The beginning of the first treatments necessary to protect it from diseases and insects coincides with this phase of development of the plant.
Depending on the climate and the period, the dangers which mostly concern vine growers are downy mildew, oidium and moth.

Pruning – the first week of May we started pruning. In order to obtain high quality fruit, and consequently high quality wine, it is necessary to limit the production of grapes. It has been scientifically proved that the ratio between foliage and fruit quality is 1 to 1. From one square meter of foliage you get a kilo of excellent grapes. To maximize the quality standards the excess buds are cut. The pruning is done by hand and requires much time and ability.

The leaf apparatus - it is fundamental to ensure the vine a well-balanced chlorophyll photosynthesis. If this process is correct, the maturation of the grapes will be perfect. The heat of the first two weeks of July slowed down the vegetative stage very much and started again around the middle of the same month. The growth of the grapes started during the 29th week.

The Veraison – it’s the time when the grape changes colour. During the 30th week of the year the first grapes turned from green to light yellow-green. This extraordinary fase is due to the increase of sugar in the grapes when maturation starts. It lasts about forty days and we can reasonably expect to harvest around the thirty-sixth week of this year when maturation will be completed.