Extreme weather conditions (from the torrential rains of May and June to the extreme heat of July), wildfires, and fungal attacks such as vine downy mildew made 2023 a terrible year for the countryside, and grapes in particular. The harvest will begin ten days later in Sicily than it did last year. Beginning with the collection of the sparkling base in western Sicily, the process continues with international varieties such as Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc, followed by native grapes. Etna's producers will close the long Sicilian harvest at the end of October. A 30% decline in production is anticipated. Also in Emilia-Romagna, the harvest is delayed by two weeks, and production declines of 20 to 30 percent are anticipated, with peaks of 35 percent in Romagna. This is what Confagricoltura estimates due to the widespread impact of severe weather and the rapid spread of plant diseases. On the other hand, there is more optimism in Franciacorta. Currently, the ripening of the clusters is proceeding well, and the first day of harvest has been scheduled for August 15. However, we are concerned about the future and are preparing to introduce resistant grape varieties.
|