The harvest usually takes place from early September to mid-October, preferably from morning until noon to avoid the hottest hours of the day. During the harvest, the grapes are carefully selected and picked into 10–15 kg crates, to prevent the weight of the grapes on top from crushing those underneath. Upon arrival at the winery, the grapes are sorted and destemmed—that is, the stems are removed and the berries placed in fermentation tanks, generally keeping the grapes from each vineyard separate. This stage can last anywhere from 5–6 days to as long as 18–20 days. After racking, the fresh wines are transferred into stainless steel tanks, where they complete alcoholic fermentation and undergo malolactic fermentation (the transformation of malic acid into lactic acid). This process naturally lowers acidity and produces pure, elegant wines. n late spring to early summer, the key activity is the preparation of the blends. This process requires time. It begins in late spring, as before then the wines are too closed to fully reveal their potential, and they continue to evolve. Between the first tests and the final blends, 4–6 months may pass. Luca Bonfio and Giacomo Sensi periodically taste the tanks containing the wines from the first fermentations. At the end of these tastings, they select the wines that will enter the final blends—each in different proportions—or that will be kept separate depending on their quality level. Once this phase is completed, the wines are first transferred into stainless steel tanks and then into Slavonian oak barrels of various sizes for the maturation stage. After maturation, they are stored again in stainless steel tanks before bottling and a further period of bottle aging prior to shipment.