THE 2016 HARVEST OF THE FERRACANE WINERY

With the harvest almost over, winemaker Fabio Ferracane tells us how it went: “For me, the harvest is a fascinating ritual. It is the maturity test that the winemaker must take with himself and with his land.”

This year too, it's almost done! The hard work of a whole year has materialized in its final act, the harvest. “We are almost at the end of a period, that of the grape harvest, which for me is unique – says with the enthusiasm that distinguishes him En. Fabio Ferracane – year after year I am increasingly proud of the work I do and the grape harvest for me, as I think it is for every winemaker, is a fascinating, wonderful ritual, if you like also liberating from the hard moments of work spent in the vineyard in the previous months. It is the moment in which you come to terms with yourself, you see the final result of the sacrifices made. It is the test that the winemaker must take with himself and with his land, that same land that teaches and gives you a living, to obtain the fruits after months of patient work. It is not a test of reparation but of maturity…which is repeated every year! From the moment of flowering you see the vines gradually develop the bunches…you see them grow and you wait patiently for them to reach the right moment to be harvested!”

“The harvest is not the end of our work – continues Fabio – on the contrary, it is the beginning, it is the moment in which we sweat, even under the sun, to collect the bunches and arrange them in the crates. Everything is done strictly by hand. We are experiencing and concluding a very delicate phase in the company vineyards for the production of quality wines, the phase in which we have to get our hands dirty… something that I, as a winemaker, love to do!”

The harvest for Casa Vinicola Ferracane began around the third ten days of August with the picking of Merlot grapes, to continue immediately afterwards with Grillo and Nero d'Avola. In recent days we have harvested the Catarratto grapes for the production of Guanciabianca 2016 and then began the ringing of the shoots of those Catarratto vines destined for the production of Elisir. “This year too, a lot of attention and patience was needed to circumcise the shoots – explains winemaker Fabio Ferracane – the risk is that of cutting the shoot and ruining the work. But everything went well and the next late harvest of Catarratto is scheduled for the end of October or the beginning of November, when the grapes will have reached the right sugar content due to their over-ripening.”

And if the final act of the 2016 harvest for the Casa Vinicola Ferracane will be the late harvest of Catarratto grapes, the Elisir of last year's late harvest is almost ready. There are still 450 bottles that are patiently refining the Elisir 2015 bottled from the only 225-liter chestnut barrique. Soon the bottles of Elisir 2015 will be able to be put on the market and satisfy the requests of the many passionate customers.

The only flaw in the 2016 harvest was a drop in production of Grillo and Nero d'Avola grapes: “It's down to downy mildew, a disease that has always been very difficult to predict and combat in our area, which caused a production of 15% less Grillo grapes and 20% less Nero d'Avola grapes compared to last year. However, downy mildew – reassures Fabio – will not affect the quality of the “Magico” Grillo 2016 and “Guancianera” 2016 wines in the slightest, being a type of disease that damages grape production in quantitative and not qualitative terms. Also this year from the 2016 harvest – concludes Fabio Ferracane with satisfaction – I expect excellent quality wines!!!!”

Marcello Scarpitta

Press Office