The Settesoli wine cooperative from Menfi in western Sicily harvested the first Pinot Grigio grapes twelve days earlier than usual. Last year, the grape harvest began on July 30. This year, the early start was made possible by heat and drought.
Extreme drought and early heat
The extreme drought and early heat have accelerated the vines’ growth process this year, as Filippo Buttafuoco of Settesoli said on Italian television. “On average, 500 to 600 litres of rain per square metre fall in Sicily each year. Since last autumn, we have only had 250 litres of rainfall,” said Buttafuoco. “That is half the water that the country normally has available.”
There were high temperatures early on, which, in combination with the dryness, meant that the vines sprouted about ten days earlier than usual. Hence the twelve-day lead in the grape harvest. After the Pino Grigio grapes, Settesoli says that in the coming days the grapes for Sauvignon Blanc, Moscato and Chardonnay will also be ripe. These will then be followed shortly by the red grapes.
Hardly any rain in winter and spring
The drought situation in Sicily is currently serious. There was hardly any rain there in winter and spring – the consequences are now being felt in summer. Some reservoirs have already dried up and in certain areas – including the capital Palermo – water rationing is even being considered, as the newspaper “Corriere della Sera” reports.
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Source: Nachrichten
