By: Alexandra Rhue
Produced and edited by:
Olivia Harlow
At first glance, news about the Italian 2014 wine
harvest is bleak. Newspaper and online sites offer estimates of a 15% to
30% shortfall from previous years. Carlo Giudice, a partner at Col di Corte Winery in eastern Italy, says
that he is aware of the shortfall in the 2014 wine harvest, acknowledging that
in wine production this year “many companies in Italy have had less.” In
a country that is the world’s leading wine producer, a shortfall of 15% in an
annual harvest that usually tops 1 trillion gallons of wine, is a vital
economic consideration.
France, Italy’s closest wine production competitor,
will move into first place in the world of wine production if the wine harvest
shortfall reaches proportions predicted. The ripple effects could extend beyond
the economic impact suffered by Italian wineries. Italian wine experts, as well
as bottlers, distributors, and owners and managers of nearly 200,000 wineries
are keeping a watchful eye on the wine harvest.
Geralyn Brostrom, Italian wine expert,
entrepreneur, and educator, points out that “the actual numbers won’t be
calculated until sometime after the harvest finishes and producers have been
able to assess and report.”
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| © Col Di Corte Facebook |
With the harvest around 50% complete in many areas,
it is an intense time in the wineries. Jim Hutchinson, wine importer at
Domenico Valentino in New York, says that in areas “like
Valdobbiadene-Conegliano where wines are released within months of the harvest,
the impact of a severe shortfall will be felt almost immediately.”
Some well-known wine producing areas such as
Puglia, Sicily, and Tuscany—all recognized for their vintage wines—are
considering scrapping a 2014 vintage altogether. Large wineries are able
to minimize the impact of an unsuccessful year. Brostrom says that
“farmers, whose sole livelihood comes from growing and selling grapes to
wineries, will be much more affected than a winery with multiple wines and
perhaps even previous vintages to sell.”
Growing up on a farm in Italy, Carmelinda Chilelli,
whose parents produced red and white wines, knows the importance of the grape
harvest in family businesses. “Children don’t go to school when it’s time
for the harvest. Everyone helps each other, because there is a lot of
work behind it.”
Weather is the culprit for the recent, consistently
poor wine harvest. This summer, Italy was cool and wet, a contrast to the
country’s regularly warm, dry summers that usually help produce an array of
fine Italian wines. Brostrom reports that producers she has spoken with
“have commented on [the weather] as well.” High rain totals combined with
the lower than normal temperatures caused grapes to ripen so slowly that vine disease
developed. Increasing the damage, hail blanketed many of the wine growing
regions as storms swept through, decimating grapes already suffering from the
cool temperatures and excessive rainfall.
Popular wines, such as the well known Amarone or
Ripasso are likely to still be produced. Mike Veseth, wine expert and
writer for The Wine Economist, says that some
producers will “omit their top of the line Amarone and divert grapes to other
quality levels.” He remains optimistic that for 2014, “there will be
Amarone!”
Italian social media specialist, Federico Maisenti,
suggests that “the majority of the population isn’t much aware of the problem,”
and notes that he hasn’t heard of any relatives or friends discussing the
issue. If, indeed, the harvest shortfall is 15% or greater, Maisenti believes
the industry would face serious repercussions both on a local and global scale.
“In addition to have less amount of choice personally, the export market would
be heavily penalized,” he says.
Other Italians are more aware of the harvest
shortfall. Fabio Venturini, an engineer from northern Italy, believes that the
average Italian citizen is always concerned about weather and assumes that this
year’s harvesting is not optimal.
Pietro Becatti, a young Italian musician, says that
he learned of the wine harvest shortfall from newspapers and friends in the
agriculture areas. “I do not think there will be serious consequences.
Probably people will use the reserves of the former years,” he says.
“They will get used to a lower quality!”
Hutchinson states, “There are still a significant
number of appellations that were not badly impacted by the poor weather.”
While most producers agree that 2014 wasn’t particularly a good year, the
impact on wine pricing is less clear all around.
Hutchinson says that if the general quality of wine
is considered inferior, prices may go down regardless of the presence of a
shortage. Giudice, taking a more optimistic view of the reduced harvest, believes
that despite the bad weather, the economic impact is “not a disaster.”
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| © Shutterstock |
Although this is evident issue in most of Italy, a
few wine producing areas of the country expect to have a normal or above level
and quality of wine production. The northwest section of Italy, home to
several wineries, should be able to bottle some fine vintage wines. In
the Piedmont region of Italy, the Nebbiolo grapes—now ready for harvest—should
produce a hearty quality red wine, perhaps even a quality Riserva.
Clearly, the wine industry remains cyclic.
Good weather brings fine wine harvests, while rain and cool temperatures of the
past summer result in poorer quality and lesser quantity of grapes. The ability
of the Italian wineries to adapt and rebound must not be overlooked.
Brostom points out, “As global warming has affected the wine industry
worldwide, savvy producers have also adapted, and a family or company in the
wine business for the long haul is also able to adapt.” He believes that
no matter what, Italian wines have been and will remain popular worldwide. Many
growers, buyers, and consumers are already looking forward and hoping for a
highly successful 2015 vintage.
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