Extreme heat is reshaping Italy’s sparkling wine industry with early harvests and nighttime picking
Summary
Italy’s sparkling wine industry is harvesting grapes about 10 days earlier than usual because of extreme heat and dry weather. Winemakers now pick grapes before dawn under floodlights to avoid damage from the hot midday sun and maintain grape quality.Key Facts
- The Franciacorta wine region in northern Italy is experiencing earlier grape ripening due to high temperatures and low rainfall.
- Harvests are happening about 10 days earlier than last year and a month earlier than 30 years ago.
- Hot weather with temperatures around 37-38°C (99-100°F) has forced winemakers to pick grapes very early in the morning.
- Regional labor rules stop work during midday heat, but the afternoon is still too hot to harvest grapes.
- Berlucchi, the oldest Franciacorta producer, started harvesting on August 2, earlier than their original plan of August 10.
- Mild winter and hailstorms also contributed to earlier grape maturation this year.
- Workers pick grapes under floodlights before dawn to keep grapes from overheating before pressing.
- The quality of the grapes remains good despite the challenging weather and early harvest.
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