2026 grape harvest down by 7.2 per cent: here’s why this isn’t a bad thing for the health of Italian wine
Drought and a voluntary reduction in yields – due to high stock levels and the pursuit of higher quality – have kept production at 41.1 million hectolitres. Frescobaldi (Uiv): wineries are seeking a new balance between quantity and quality
Key points
With the 2026 grape harvest, Italia will produce 41.1 million hectolitres, 7.22 per cent less than last year. This is due, on the one hand, to the drought, but also, on the other, calls from wine protection consortia to reduce yields in order to limit supply – given the high level (42.6 million hectolitres) of unsold wine stocks – have led to a significant reduction in Italian production.
Data on the European grape harvest from the European Commission
This is what emerges from the data released by the European Commission on the grape harvest in Europe. It should be noted that this year, for the first time, it was decided not to publish estimates of the harvest, which were usually released in early September. With climate change underway, the risk of significant discrepancies with the final figures has in fact increased considerably.
Italia and France see a decline, whilst Spain grows (+13.4%)
The expected decline in Italia is also consistent with forecasts for other wine-producing countries such as France (-2.1 per cent, partly due to the large-scale vineyard grubbing-up programme carried out in recent years), whilst a strong rebound (+13.4 per cent) is forecast for Spain. At EU level, the 2026 harvest is expected to reach 137.4 million hectolitres, down 1.2 per cent on last year. Despite the decline, Italia remains firmly the leading European producer with 41.1 million hectolitres, followed by Spain (37.6) and France (33.9). Further behind are Germany (8 million), Portugal (6.6), Romania (4.4), Slovenia (1.8) and Austria (1.7 million).
Frescobaldi: producers have managed to adapt to the weather conditions
“If confirmed,” commented Lamberto Frescobaldi, president of the Italian Wine Union, “these figures demonstrate how the Italian wine sector is striving to strike a virtuous balance between quantity and quality. Although volumes are lower than in the great harvests of the past, the overall standard of quality appears to be very good. This is the result of the choices made by winegrowers, who have been able to interpret the climatic conditions with expertise and responsibility, prioritising the quality of the grapes and the economic sustainability of production. This leadership is not measured solely in terms of hectolitres produced, but above all in the value that Italian wine continues to command on international markets.”
There are some positive developments on the exports front
“It will be the market,” added Uiv Secretary-General Paolo Castelletti, “that will tell us whether this harvest (the second lowest since 1950) will be sufficiently modest. Certainly, a ‘reduction’ was desirable, and we now hope that the grape harvest figures will be in line with today’s data. On the exports front, things are starting to pick up, at least in non-EU countries, where we estimate good growth, starting with the United States, which is continuing to confirm in September the rebound recorded in July and August.”
