Thirty-ninth page of my journal. Let me tell you about our September: abundant rains, the grape harvest for our sparkling wines is finished, and we're waiting for the right moment to pick the Negus grapes. See you on December 15th at Gatta’s Première Vol. III, a day dedicated to the single-vineyard wines. At the bottom of this email, you’ll find the "What to Drink" section. Each month, I’ll let you know which bottle I would open!
In the vineyard: A year of two faces
The 2024 vintage turned out to be quite unique for our sparkling wines, marked by a scorching and dry summer that forced us to harvest the grapes early. The lack of rainfall accelerated ripening, leading to significant concentration in the musts. Despite the challenges, the Pinot Noir and Chardonnay bases have fermented well and are already in good shape. The quality looks promising, even though the year was anything but easy.The situation is quite different for our red Negus. September brought a drastic change: right after the grape harvest for the sparkling wines, temperatures dropped by several degrees. Heavy rains arrived, turning the month into a true preview of autumn, with cool and damp days. These conditions led us to delay the harvest of the late-ripening grapes, like Barbera and Marzemino.
On one hand, the rains have made it impossible to harvest immediately due to the risk of water overload, but on the other hand, they offer us a rare opportunity: a longer ripening period for the Negus. This scenario takes us back to the harvests of decades ago, when we would pick the red grapes later, often well into October. Our 60-year-old vineyard, cultivated using the traditional Brescian pergola method, is benefiting from this extended ripening, allowing for more complete phenolic development, even though the sugar levels won't be very high. This slow ripening, aided by the lower temperatures, gives us hope for an excellent vintage for our red.
IN THE CELLAR: See you on December 15th!
A huge thank you to all the ME.GA. Drinkers and wine enthusiasts who have already visited us during these first weeks of autumn. The tours sold out in no time, and for those asking how to visit us, we’ve opened early bookings for the day dedicated to our single-vineyard wines:
Gatta's Première Vol. III
Sunday, December 15th
Gussago, from 11:00 AM to 5:00 PM
In collaboration with: Pizza dei Signori by Matteo Grandi
CLICK HERE FOR TICKETS - 50€
With the ticket:
1x FOOD: Pizza dei Signori by Matteo Grandi
2x GLASSES of "cru" wine
Shuttle bus service included
what to drink:
Right now, I would open...🍾 RD BLANC DE BLANCS - disgorgment 01/24
Why? Well, here’s why...An explosion of flavor: the lively tension that defines this wine is giving way to an intriguing evolution, with notes of butter and honey beginning to emerge. It’s a wine going through a beautiful phase, where the balance between freshness and complexity makes it perfect for this time of year.
WHERE TO DRINK? TAKE A LOOK
"Where to drink" is the page where you can find a list of friends who serve my wines.
“The principle is to enhance a territory that is different in nature and origins, with the aim of obtaining wines that represent it without compromise.”
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If you need help or information
Nicola Gatta Agricola — Via San Rocco 37 , 25064 Gussago (BS), Italy —
VAT number 04037270982 — REA BS-583420 - Cap. Soc. 10,000€ i.v. — info@nicolagatta.eu
Made with 🍾 by 1000ml