Italy: 2023 harvest report – The grape harvest, which started with a delay of about 8/10 days, is practically finishing in all Italian regions. From the first estimates announced in mid-September, we can now reasonably say that the final quantity will be less than expected.
In my opinion, according to the information gathered, I believe that Italian production will be around 40 million hectoliters, from the 43 million or so predicted 20 days ago.
The cause is the great heat that dried out the grapes, with a low must yield together with the poor weight of the bunches, and especially the mildew attacks that plagued some regions, particularly Abruzzo, Apulia and Sicily. Here the harvest has beenn as much as 30% to 40% below average.
With this situation, despite the fact that wine stocks in Italy were higher than last year, grape prices skyrocketed leading to quotations as much as 100% higher than in the 2022 crop.
As a result, the first prices of generic wines are settling at very high levels.
In Apulia, a base of € 5,00-5.50/degree EXW is assumed for both red and generic white. In Sicily slightly lower prices: Chardonnay is quoting around € 6,50-7,00/degree/EXW.
Even in northern Italy, against a forecast of an abundant harvest, production was finally found to be slightly down by 5%-10 % from the average, both in Veneto and Emilia Romagna where prices at the moment are not yet defined, however well above to € 5,00-5,50/degree.
In about 15 to 20 days the new samples will be ready.It is therefore necessary to wait for the market to stabilize and find a size congruous with the international market, which does not seem willing to accept significant price increases, despite significantly high production costs compared to the norm. Finally, the quality is definitely good and the degrees slightly lower than last year.
My next Report will follow in about 15 to 20 days.
Carlo Miravalle – Miravalle 1926