Never mind the volume, taste the quality

The much smaller harvest of 2007 Vendemmia is being seen as a "blessing in disguise" by Camilleri Wines since a smaller production of grapes has been beneficial to the "tired vines", viticulturist Patrick Xerri said yesterday.

He said that in volume terms the harvest is going to be up to 50 per cent less than last year's.

Speaking to the press at Camilleri Wines' vineyards situated at Wied L-Isqof, limits of Siggiewi, Mr Xerri outlined a number of factors that determined the outcome of this year's vendemmia. He referred to the unusual weather conditions that characterised this past season. "Last year's harvest yielded between 20 and 30 per cent more grapes than this year. This exceptional heavier crop pre-conditioned the vines to have a much-desired uninterrupted dormancy period between late autumn and winter. The past winter was very mild and the tired vines were sluggish to go into dormancy. This had the complicated effect to force the semi-dormant vines to bud very early in the beginning of spring.

"To complicate matters, in early spring we experienced colder temperatures than winter itself with the occasional hailstorms and cold windy days. The early young tender vine shoots were adversely affected and fruit buds for some varieties were reduced by up to 50 per cent. However, the grape quality is excellent and vines harvested by the end of this year's vendemmia will amount to a staggering 550,000 kilos," Mr Xerri said.

The media also had the opportunity to witness at first hand the late harvest grapes still on the vines. The winery is still waiting to harvest some of the Sauvignon Blanc and Viognier grapes, which will be used to produce Camilleri Wines' late harvest sweet dessert wine Dolce Vita.

Following a brief explanation on the method of how to cut and pick grapes, Mr Xerri invited the media for a hands-on experience to pick grapes from the vineyards followed by an exclusive wine tasting of this year's Dolce Vita.