Italian Wine Output to Slow as Producers Uproot Vines
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The EU wine reform which took effect in August 2008, offers cash to dig up vines and cut back the output of less competitive wine types, with the goal of limiting Europe's production of "wine lakes." According to the three-year-plan, the cash premium is highest in the first year and decreases the following two. The EU reform aims to remove 175,000 hectares (around 432,435 acres) of vineyards out of the existing 3.6 million hectares (about 8.9 million acres).
According to research center ISMEA and the Unione Italiana Vini (UIV, or Italian Wine Union), Italian winemakers applied for cash to subsidize the removal of 11,600 hectares (around 28,664 acres) of vines in the 2008/09 season, from the existing total of 788,393 hectares (around 1,948,161.5 acres) of Italian vineyards (2008 data provided by ISTAT, Italy's statistics agency). In addition, the increasing habit of Italian growers to prune grapes heavily in order to improve quality will also contribute to curbing the quantity, the research said.
In fact, according to ISMEA and the Unione Italiana Vini research, Italian wine output in 2009 is expected to peak at 4.6 billion liters (about 1,215 billion gallons), that is, below the 4.8 billion liters (around 1,268 billion gallons) average of the past five years, but as usual, much will depend on the weather conditions between now and harvesting time, highlighted ISMEA and UIV.
According to the research, wine output in Tuscany, famous world wide for its Sangiovese-based Super Tuscans, Brunello di Montalcino, Nobile di Montepulciano, and Chianti is expected to be flat compared to that of last year. On the other hand, wine output in the region of Piedmont, known for its full-bodied red Barolos and Barberas, among others, wine output is expected to be greater this year compared to 2008. Forecasts for wine production of Sicily and Apulia, which are among Italy's main grape producing regions, are expected to be stable or slightly higher compared to last year.
In a separate statement, Italy's biggest farmers group, Coldiretti, said that harvest is expected to start about 10 days earlier than usual because of the hot summer weather.
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