In Italy, due to the abnormal heat, grapes for sparkling wine began to be harvested 10 days earlier and at night

In Italy, due to abnormally high temperatures, the grape harvest season for Franciacorta sparkling wine began approximately 10 days earlier than expected. To protect the crop from the heat, winemakers have also been forced to harvest the grapes at night. Associated Press reports, writes UNN.

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Climate change is shortening the period suitable for harvesting grapes, forcing winemakers to make decisions quickly, as even a few days can mean the difference between a good and a poor harvest.

"These are delicate, tense moments, and everything has to work perfectly," said Berlucchi CEO Arturo Ziliani. His father, Franco, became the first winemaker in the hilly Franciacorta wine region to produce sparkling wines using the traditional method, known thanks to French Champagne producers, in 1961.

"We did not expect the harvest to begin so early or the ripening to progress so rapidly," Ziliani said.

The heat is forcing grape harvesting before dawn under floodlights

For several weeks, air temperatures reached 37–38 degrees Celsius, while rainfall was below average. This forced some winemakers in Franciacorta to begin harvesting at record-early dates — approximately 10 days earlier than last year and about a month earlier than three decades ago.

The Japanese beetle is also spreading through vineyards and orchards in northern Italy, creating problems for farmers.

Berlucchi, the oldest producer of Franciacorta, which is made using the traditional method with secondary fermentation in the bottle, began harvesting on August 2 as part of an industry-wide effort to preserve grape quality amid increasingly extreme weather conditions.

Experts say that a combination of several factors led to Franciacorta’s exceptionally early harvest this year. A relatively mild winter caused the vines’ buds to form early, while hail damaged part of the crop, reducing the number of grapes and accelerating their ripening.

As late as the end of July, Franciacorta had planned to begin harvesting on August 10, but it quickly became clear that Pinot Noir grapes, used for sparkling blends and rosé wine, were already ready to be picked. The rapid rise in sugar levels indicated this. Within two days, workers were mobilized and the presses were prepared to start.

By midday, the heat becomes so intense that, under regional regulations, workers are required to stop working from 12:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. However, winemakers say that an afternoon shift in such conditions is too arduous. To save time and get the grapes to the presses before they overheat, Berlucchi began harvesting at 4 a.m. last week. Workers cut the grapes under the bright light of floodlights.

Sparkling wine production requires complex calculations

Franciacorta was not the only region to begin harvesting early this year. In Sicily, the harvest for still wines began in late July. Small vineyards in Tuscany also began harvesting, as did most regions where sparkling wines are produced.

The calculations are most complex for producers of Champagne-style sparkling wines, who must maintain a delicate balance: significantly higher fixed acidity, a considerably lower pH level, and less sugar than in still red and white wines.

Franciacorta remains the largest producer of Franciacorta. The company produces around 4 million bottles a year, accounting for approximately 20% of the Franciacorta consortium’s total production, which amounts to about 20 million bottles. Approximately 90% of the products are sold in Italy, while the rest are exported, including to Germany, Switzerland, the United States, and Japan.

Record-breaking hot summer to cost the EU economy €180 billion10.08.26, 20:53 • 7340 views