Sicilian winegrowers have harvested the first Pinot Grigio grapes earlier than ever this year, 12 days earlier than normal, the major Settesoli wine cooperative in the west of the Italian island has announced.
The cooperative in Menfi was the first in Italy to start harvesting in recent years, starting last year on July 30th.
The heat and drought meant that the harvest took place earlier this year, Filippo Buttafuoco of Settesoli told Italian television.
“On average, Sicily receives 500 to 600 milliliters of rain each year, but since last fall we have only recorded 250 milliliters of precipitation,” Buttafuoco said. “That is half of the water normally available to the country,” he added.
The high temperatures early on, combined with the dry conditions, meant the grapes ripened about 10 days earlier than normal, he said.
The Pinot Grigio harvest is followed by harvests for Sauvignon Blanc, Moscato and Chardonnay. The red grapes come later.
Sicily has been hit by a severe drought. There has been little rain in the winter and spring, and the consequences are now visible in the dried-up reservoirs.
Water rationing is being considered in some areas, including the island’s capital, Palermo, the Corriere della Sera newspaper reported.