The heat wave that has been going on for several weeks has forced the grape harvest in several Italian regions to come forward as the grapes are already ripe thanks to the high temperatures. In the Lombard wine region of Franciacorta, winegrowers have already started picking Chardonnay, Pinot Nero and Pinot Bianco grapes. This is about three weeks earlier than usual compared to previous years. The grape harvest had never started so early.
“Over the past two months, we have experienced an unprecedented heat wave. The precipitation has almost completely stopped. In the first six months of this year, half of the rainfall was reported compared to the average of the last five years,” said Mario Falcetti, member of the Franciacorta Wine Producers Consortium.
Production drop of 10 percent expected
Compared to the previous year, a production decrease of ten percent to 45.5 million hectoliters is expected. However, Italy is expected to remain number one in the global ranking of the strongest wine producing countries, followed by France and Spain.
The quality of the wines must be particularly good this year. According to connoisseurs, the Chardonnay in particular should stand out among the white wines. Among the red wines from Italy, especially the Sangiovese from Tuscany and the Montepulciano promise culinary delights for wine connoisseurs.
658,000 hectares of land are cultivated with wine
Depending on the variety, the grape harvest continues until autumn. In Italy, 658,000 hectares of land are cultivated with wine. Wine production there has an annual value of about 8.5 billion euros and employs 1.2 million people.
Italian farmers are complaining of millions of dollars in damage from July’s extreme heat, the hottest in 150 years. The Coldiretti agricultural association estimates the damage from the record heat at 200 million euros. Fruit trees, maize and vegetable fields are especially affected.
100 million liters less milk per month
There were also declines in milk, egg and honey production as the animals are badly affected by the high temperatures. The heat has reduced milk production by 15 percent. This means a decrease of 100 million liters of milk per month.
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
