Overall, the winter of 2014 was marked by 23% less rainfall than average, with a brief but intense cold spell concentrated in a few days in July. As spring began, temperatures rose rapidly, leading to an earlier-than-usual budburst. No significant frosts were recorded, apart from a moderate event in the country’s central region. Between September and December—when vegetative growth is at its peak—rainfall increased notably, reaching 34% above the twenty-five-year average. This favored strong vine vigor and demanded intensive canopy and health management, while irrigation remained unnecessary. A hailstorm in late September partially affected one vineyard in the southwest.

Ripening began about ten days ahead of schedule, maintaining the phenological advance established since budburst. January brought light but frequent rainfall and mild temperatures, and harvest began on January 21—ten days earlier than usual. While early-picked parcels already showed promising quality, no one could have anticipated the extraordinary February to come: one of the driest in the country’s history, with rainfall 85% below normal. Short, rainless atmospheric disturbances brought moderate winds and several days of cool daytime temperatures, creating exceptional conditions for polyphenolic maturity. The last February with such conditions dated back to 1992, the year the first Preludio was crafted.

Each variety reached harvest with remarkably high sugar and anthocyanin concentrations at optimal ripeness. Tannin development, particularly in the seeds, was excellent, yielding wines with intense and refined texture. The harvest concluded on March 18, with yields 13% higher than the previous year and a quality that will undoubtedly be remembered for many years to come.