The harvest in Sicily ends with a significant reduction: the island’s production records a 20% drop, which added to last year’s reduction leads to an overall decline of 55%.
An early start due to the high temperatures that accelerated the ripening of the grapes and the usual longevity that distinguishes the longest harvest in Italy.
Despite the quantity of grapes being lower than last year, this harvest promises to be historic in terms of quality, with peaks of excellence for Nero D’Avola: the 2024 Sicilian harvest is affected by the effects of climate change, first and foremost the scarce rainfall in recent months with a significant impact on the vineyards, which nevertheless confirm excellent quality also thanks to the absence of plant diseases – precisely in relation to the dry climate – after last year’s problems related to downy mildew.
In many areas, moreover, the use of water from company lakes and wells as well as agronomic techniques to limit the effects of the climate has proven to be fundamental. “ We have certainly experienced an anomalous year : – comments Filippo Buttafuoco, Doctor Agronomist – in Sicily it usually rains on average 500-600 mm in a year, while from last autumn until today 250 mm of rain has fallen. In 2023 the vineyards were already coming from a period of stress and great heat, unfortunately they have not had the chance to recover even during this year. Therefore, the entire development process of the new fruits has occurred early, starting with budding and flowering which were brought forward by two weeks. The yields since the beginning of the harvest have been very low, with notable losses. On the quality front, however, we have a very high quality, the grapes are healthy, ripe and the wines are expected to be spectacular ”. “This year it was expected that there would not be much grapes – adds Filippo Paladino , vice president of the Consortium for the protection of DOC Sicilia wines – Grillo had a 40% drop compared to the average, the reds were a little better, starting with Nero D’Avola. Good yields for Zibibbo and international vines instead. It will be difficult to sustain the costs”. “Even if it is still early to draw up a definitive balance – concludes Alessio Planeta , member of the Board of Directors of DOC Sicilia – we can already observe some significant trends. In much of Sicily, the conditions of the vineyards before the harvest had already led to the prediction of a drop in grape production: this was due to the little rain and relatively warm winter and a cold and windy spring. The expected rains never arrived: this factor and a long summer made us anticipate the harvest by about 10 days. The harvest results vary greatly from East to West: while in the western part the decline is more marked, in the eastern area and, above all, in the North, the harvest levels are close to those of last year. The reduction in quantity, however, has brought with it a notable increase in quality. This year, we are seeing surprising results, with peaks of excellence, especially for varieties such as Nero d’Avola, Grillo and Frappato. Profoundly Sicilian varieties that have interpreted a southern harvest at their best”.