Nature Never Ceases to Amaze Us, and the 2024 Vintage is Yet Another Clear Example. A cycle of climatic contrasts, key vineyard decisions, and a harvest that required us to adapt quickly to ensure the best quality in our wines. Here’s how this year unfolded and what you can expect from our wines.

A Year of More Stable Temperatures and Crucial Rainfall

The year began with a warmer-than-usual start to the cycle in April, but spring soon brought cooler temperatures than we had seen in recent years. Summer was warm, though without extreme heat waves, and the end of the cycle was marked by a temperature drop that influenced grape ripening.

Rainfall also played a key role. With a total of 615 mm accumulated throughout the year, the rain was a relief at many moments, though it did not reach the levels of wetter vintages like 2018 or 2020. However, late-season rains impacted the harvest, forcing us to adjust our planning.

High-Quality Grapes, but Lower Yields

In the vineyard, grape health was excellent, except for some lower-altitude plots that felt the impact of the late rains. Notably, acidity was higher than usual, and long-cycle vineyards experienced slow ripening, giving us high-quality grapes.

On the other hand, production was significantly lower. With an average yield of 1.6 kg per vine, we obtained 26% less fruit compared to recent years. This reduction was due to fewer clusters per vine (-16%), lower average cluster weight (-23%), and slightly smaller berries (-6%).

A Carefully Planned Harvest

As always, the harvest at Ostatu was the result of meticulous ripeness monitoring, analyzing each plot to determine the optimal picking time. However, initial plans had to be adjusted due to rapid ripening in the middle of the cycle and early September rains.

A key factor in determining harvest dates was soil type. Vineyards on sandier soils, which retain less moisture, were harvested earlier, while those with higher limestone and clay content, which retain moisture better, were harvested last, yielding lower quantities but exceptional quality.

The 2024 Wines: Freshness, Balance, and Elegance

This vintage’s wines are characterized by their freshness and balance. They are lighter than expected but with great aromatic expression and ripe tannins, which required shorter macerations to extract the best from each grape.

Ultimately, while this vintage may not go down in history as one of the most renowned, for us, it came very close. Regardless, it has been a year of great learning and, most importantly, wines that will bring us joy.

Discover them in our young wines, now available at the winery. We look forward to raising a glass with you at Ostatu to celebrate another harvest!

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