Chianti Classico DOCG 2018 vintage: See Chianti Classico DOCG.

2018: Growing season Described as showing ‘an uneven and changeable weather pattern throughout the vineyards’ vegetative cycle…a lack of sustained dry, sunny weather,’ (Source: Consorzio Vino Chianti Classico). ‘Cold winter. With snow. Occasionally subzero temperatures. A very changeable spring,’ (Source: Consorzio Vino Chianti Classico). Early bud break due to above average temperatures for March and April. May was a fairly rainy month. From spring 10th June onwards it got warmer. Into summer the weather was a mix of intensely sunny days followed by rain, sometimes heavy. This made disease control a challenge, and also contributed to vine growth continuing much later than usual. From 10th June onwards, temperatures started rising again. Summer temperatures were within the norm. Good summer with little rain. Veraison began in late July and continued quite slowly in August. But ‘the vines continued to produce vegetation until late August,’ (Source: Consorzio Vino Chianti Classico). September brought warm to hot days, with cool nights. Harvest ran from around 20 September to the third week in October. This period brought ‘hot, sunny days, a good night-day temperature variation [which] enabled the grapes to ripen fully,’ (Source: Consorzio Vino Chianti Classico).

2018: Vineyard area 7,078 hectares (Source: Consorzio Vino Chianti Classico).

2018: Production Yields 27% down compared to average annual production (Source: Consorzio Vino Chianti Classico). Valoritalia data: 280,526hl (33,595,733 bottles). 745 producers overall (Valoritalia). 692 grape growers (Valoritalia). 442 wine producers (Valoritalia). 341 bottlers (Valoritalia). 310 producers using the Chianti Classico label: normale, Riserva and Gran Selezione (Source: Consorzio). 95 producers were using the Gran Selezione denomination (Source: Consorzio Vino Chianti Classico).

2018: Wine quality While 2018 was better than 2017, it was only just above average in quality, with vines still stressed from the lack of water in 2017. At Anteprima 2019 Paolo de Marchi told me ‘2018 was a cooler vintage. It produced compact wines with low pH [more acid strength, more stable], mature tannins and good aromas’. Those with fruit healthy enough to be picked late got the best results in 2018. ‘A very good year for those who managed to pick quite late. Good acidity, mature [ripe] tannins. Ideal chemical and organoleptic features for medium-long aging,’ (Source: Consorzio Vino Chianti Classico). Yields were higher than 2017, but still below recent averages. This was linked to the stressful 2017 season with its spring frosts and drought (Source: Consorzio Vino Chianti Classico).