Heat and drought anticipate the grape harvest: the cutting of the first bunches of grapes in Sicily begins today. Here are the novelties for 2024

Until not so long ago, the first bunches of grapes for the grape harvest were cut in August, usually in the north, and we started with the basic sparkling grapes. But climate change has already changed the timing and geography of the grape harvest some time ago, imposing an advance in timing and a shift to the south of the first grape cuts. And so, as announced by Coldiretti, the harvesting operations for the 2024 grape harvest will start today, 25 July, in Sicily. The appointment is at 9 a.m. at the Di Giovanna farm in contrada Miccina Contessa Entellina where the first bunches of Chardonnay grapes, a particularly early variety, will be cut.

A record start to the grape harvest in Sicily induced by high temperatures and drought. The prolonged heat in fact favours the ripening of the grapes, while the lack of water, especially due to the low rainfall, favours the absence of vine diseases and therefore guarantees the health of the grapes. These are all characteristics that Sicilian winegrowers hope to preserve by bringing forward harvest times.

Today will also see the release of Coldiretti's analysis of the situation of the Italian vineyard, between the impact of the climate and international tensions.

There is great expectation in the wine world for the 2024 grape harvest after the last year production, due to a 23.2 per cent drop from the previous year, turned out to be among the lowest in 76 years.

This past season was mown down in particular by the rains that brought a strong return of vine diseases, first and foremost the downy mildew fungus, which in some regions such as Abruzzo led to a cut in production of up to minus 70%, and which prompted the government to allocate an endowment of about 40 million euro to the damaged vine growers (particularly in the central and southern regions).