The grape harvest began 10 days early in Italy, owing to severe heat that expedited grape ripening, although dryness poses a significant risk to harvests. This year, more than ever, it has been difficult to make quantitative forecasts for a harvest that will be spread out over nearly five months and will pose a true winemaking challenge for wineries, especially given the sugar concentration caused by record temperatures and drought in the grapes. However, the risk of downy mildew appears to have been mitigated for the time being, with overall quality expected to be outstanding. The start of harvest in the Oltrepò Pavese, where activities generally begin in the first ten days of August, demonstrates the reality of climate change, which has now become a structural component that wineries must integrate into their business strategies. Sangiovese grapes in Tuscany could be harvested as early as mid-August, which is an unusual date for red wines, which are typically harvested between September, October, and November.