First numbers of the 2015 harvest by ‪#‎WInenews‬
In the last few years, more than once in Italy, the first bunches of the earliest variety wine grapes have been harvested at the beginning of August or even at the end of July, and the scorching 2015 summer is no exception. The harvest is already in full swing in Sicily’s “Menfishire” region and in Franciacorta. According to some of the country’s top oenologists, the lion’s share of the harvest could indeed come a little earlier than usual, but it should be nothing to write home about. Some - like the farmers association Coldiretti - have said from Franciacorta’s Coccaglio, “the harvest has not started this early in the last 10 years. Production should go up at least 5% in quantity over 2015, reaching 44 million hectolitres, and quality should be very good”. Farmers association Confagricoltura has recently gone one further, speaking of a 15% increase compared to 2014 and very good quality. Needless to say, these forecasts could well be completely turned upside down because of the weather, but of course, nobody is hoping for that. Maybe, as Italian Federation of Independent Vintners FIVI has said, it would be better if grapes were in the cellars before talking about the harvest.