Birra IGA
Alta Fermentazione ALE
The worlds of Wine and Beer meet, in the same territory, and they talk to each other.
Il mondo del Vino e il mondo della Birra si incontrano, nello stesso territorio, e si parlano.
Nel cuore del Chianti, nasce così la birra IGA Castello di Gabbiano, prodotta dal Birrificio Artigianale Fratelli Casini con l’impiego del mosto delle uve del castello.
Vintage conditions
An unusual year. A very regular phenological development of the vine in the bud phase, with a splendid flowering favoured by the warm and dry weather. From spring onwards, average temperatures began to rise, particularly in May, with summer temperatures and torrid weather during the summer period, all combined with a lack of rain. Water stress affected the entire summer period, leading to an acceleration of fruit set and veraison in the vines. After the first ten days of August, although average temperatures remained high, thunderstorms caused considerable hail damage, affecting the vast majority of our vineyards. As always, the vine has shown great resilience, despite the vineyards have been put to the test, the careful management has guaranteed an adequate quality of the fruit: the vineyards that survived the hailstorm have given us a good quality to the excellent.
Considerably scarcer than average in terms of quantity, but capable, in every region of Italy, of overcoming climatic excesses unscathed, providing healthy and beautiful grapes, balanced in terms of alcohol and acidity, and heralding great wines.
After the April frost event, in Tuscany, the unusual heat and drought in summer further effected grapes reduction (the youngest vines did not reach the full growth) and translated into low yields as well. September was propitious: sunny, with good temperature ranges day and night, some gentle rain and good ventilation thus enabling us to harvest some very well ripened sangiovese grapes in October.
The result was : very low quantity and yeald but some very high quality Sangiovese grapes from the oldest vineyards, surprising for complexity and elegance, definitely above our expectations this year.
The quality was jeopardized by late September and October rainfalls. This year the location and exposure of each vineyard made the difference: elegant and fresh grapes lacking tannic density from some vineyards – very good grapes with excellent character and spice, high gradations but also good minerality in the vineyards in front of them. Very poor quantity. Average good quality.
Eccellent vintage either by volume and quality. Very balanced, healthy, perfectly ripe grapes, by all vineyards – different zones, for altitudes, exposure and microclimate it has been uniform, everywhere. We had peaks of unbelievable excellence, the structure of the grapes has also allowed us to macerate for a long time, and therefore we expect red wines that will express themselves well in the long term, the Sangiovese has given great results.
The weather was quite unusual in 2018, beginning with very rainy and cold conditions in February and March. While this precipitation was needed, bud break started late. While June and July were ideal, the conditions were quite variable from July 20 to August 23, with sultry heat and often afternoon thunderstorms. The last big storm hit the area end of August some later little rain enabled the grapes to reach their full maturation. At harvest the grapes showed wonderful condition, very fresh and well ripe, giving a classic style wine with plenty of harmony and balance. The quantity were also good. Before the summer we expected to start the harvest at the end of September but the Sangiovese was ready before then in the majority of the territory.
