ISMEA / UIV 2007 Italian Wine Production Forecast
Fourth of Six Parts
Staff Writer – September 12, 2007
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 Friuli Venezia Giulia
As announced, Friuli Venezia Giulia is the only region where production is expected to raise 5 - 10% above the 2006 values.
The areas where the lack of water hit mostly produced fewer bunches, but the higher weight of the grapes has made up for the loss. In addition, some damages were caused by hail storms at the beginning of July.
Though anticipated, all the production phases, from blooming to ripening, happened under good conditions and harvest started around three weeks in advance.
The grapes used to make Spumante wines were harvested starting the second week of August, followed by the other early-ripening varieties, such as the Pinot Grigio, and by the last week of the month expanded to all varieties.
The ripening was favored by the rainfalls at the beginning of August and the wide temperature variation contributed to the development of the typical aroma in all varieties.
Thanks to the favorable weather conditions the fruit is in excellent health. Some phyllossera attacks have affected the leaves of the Tocai and Verduzzo vines, in addition the presence of damaging insects such as cocciniglia and tignola have been reported, but kept under control with specific interventions.
Emilia Romagna.
Here the production is back in the red with a decrease of 10%.
The gap registered with the early blooming was reduced by slower ripening and harvest started around 10 days earlier than usual. The drought affected production more uphill, where the loss of output is projected at around 15% compared to 2006, while in the plains the loss is expected to be around 5 – 10%.
With regard to quality the expectations are high, as some hotbeds of peronospora and oidium have been reined in with integrated intervention. Only in some vineyards, where the intervention didn't happen in due time, may the late-ripening varieties suffer from botrytis.
Tuscany and Umbria.
In Tuscany the production is expected to decrease 5 – 10%, mostly because of the long period of drought. Blooming started 10 - 15 days earlier, and during all the production cycle remained more or less unchanged, thus the harvest is almost over for the early white grape varieties, while for the Sangiovese grape harvest is expected to start the second week of September.
The Tuscan vineyards did not have other problems and the quality of the product is expected to range from good to excellent.
The 2007 harvest will be 5 to 10% lower in Umbria as well, compared to 2006.
July and August had high temperatures along with scattered rainfall, thus, in addition to lower output the ripening was accelerated, adding to the early development registered in the first few months of the year.
With regards to quality, the worries raised in springtime by the presence of peronospora subsided, thus it is expected to be very good, with correct balance among the various components and perfect sugar content.
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