August, in San Pancrazio, is the month in which the destiny of every Merlot parcel is decided. The choice of picking time is never arbitrary: it depends on the constant monitoring of two key parameters \u2014 sugar content and total acidity \u2014 together with the organoleptic assessment of phenolic ripeness in the skins and seeds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For the Ros\u00e9, picking takes place ahead of full technological ripeness, when the sugar\/acidity ratio is still shifted in favor of total acidity (indicative target: lower pH, higher TA), a condition that preserves the primary aromatic component \u2014 terpenes and varietal compounds responsible for floral and fruity notes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In the winery, the short-maceration ros\u00e9 vinification technique is used: the grapes are crushed and the must left in contact with the skins for a limited period (generally a few hours), just long enough to extract sufficient anthocyanins to define the color, without releasing excess tannins and polyphenols. This is followed by early draining off and fermentation at controlled temperature (typically 16\u201318\u00b0C), carried out in stainless steel to preserve freshness and primary aromatic profile. No oak aging: the wine is intended for consumption within the year following harvest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For the Merlot destined for the Riserva, the strategy is the opposite: the aim is to reach full phenolic ripeness, not just technological ripeness. This means monitoring not only sugar accumulation, but above all the ripening of skin and seed tannins, which must evolve from green, astringent tannins into soft, rounded ones \u2014 a process that requires additional time on the vine compared to the Ros\u00e9.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The later harvest results in higher sugar concentration (and consequently higher potential alcohol) and reduced total acidity, balanced by a richer polyphenolic structure. In the winery, vinification involves extended maceration (days, not hours) to maximize the extraction of color, tannins, and aromatic precursors, followed by malolactic fermentation to soften the acid profile. Aging then takes place in wood \u2014 barrique or large cask, depending on the winery's protocol \u2014 for an extended period, allowing micro-oxygenation, integration of tertiary notes, and stabilization of the tannic structure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The case of Merlot at La Badiola is a concrete example of how the same variety, on the same terroir, can generate completely divergent enological profiles based on two variables: the timing of harvest and the vinification protocol chosen. This is not a compromise, but two paths planned from the very start of the season, each optimized for the desired final result.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Agosto, a San Pancrazio, \u00e8 il mese in cui si decide il destino di ogni parcella di Merlot. La scelta del momento di raccolta non \u00e8 mai arbitraria: dipende dal monitoraggio costante di due parametri chiave \u2014 il grado zuccherino e l’acidit\u00e0 totale \u2014 insieme alla valutazione organolettica della maturazione fenolica delle bucce e dei […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3738,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[82],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4975","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-viticoltura"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n