How is the 2023 grape harvest going?
2023 is a very troubled year from many points of view, and no less so from an environmental point of view. We have seen how much the climate has changed and is still changing. We experienced various adversities from the very beginning with late frosts, then droughts during the winter, in May there were heavy floods and heavy rains throughout Italy. Then in the summer months we suffered severe drought and simultaneous hailstorms and typhoons. In short, our vineyards were put to the test.
Two examples of what the producers are experiencing show their concern:
"In May and June there was weather instability with heavy rain alternating with sunny days. This required extreme promptness of action especially on our organically certified farm..... We lost part of our production'. (Tommaso Cortonesi - Soc Agr. La Mannella)
"Despite the rainiest May ever, the consequent fight against downy mildew, and the 48 degrees in July that blocked ripening and/or burnt the bunches, those who cultivated well ended up with healthy grapes, but with less quantity, especially in the coastal and high hill areas, where the heat had less of an effect" (Carlo Montalto - Baglio Curatolo Arini, Marsala).
From this we can understand at least two things
- decrease in quantity. The lowest point is found in Abruzzo with -70% of product.
- The quality is very variable depending on the agronomic care that each winery will have put in place.
Conclusions? Never as much as this year will we see the difference between those who work well and those who do not. Why do we say this? Because although climate change affects each year in a different and sometimes more negative way, production techniques must be adapted from the outset, otherwise we risk losing everything not only for the current year but also for the following one. This is why we at Tenute d'Italia are in constant liaison with our technicians and those of our partners to ensure a high standard of quality for our customers again this year. As one of them says, and which well represents everyone's thinking: 'It is too early to draw conclusions, but as always we give and will give our best to achieve the best possible result'. (Tommaso Cortonesi).
