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Less than a month before the grape harvest, heavy rain, mudslides and hail have devastated much of Oltrepò Pavese in western Lombardy. The municipalities of Canneto Pavese, Santa Maria della Versa, Castana as well as Cigognola, Pietra de' Giorgi, Lirio, Broni and Stradella are particularly affected. According to the Coldiretti Pavia farmers' association, initial estimates suggest that hail damage to the almost ripe grapes could be as high as 80 per cent in some areas.
Fabiano Giorgi from the Giorgi winery in Canneto Pavese is standing in front of the ruins of his winery, his machines and cellar technology have been destroyed by the mud flood. "The damage is not yet foreseeable at the moment. For sure, the insurance will cover some of it, but the wines we still had in stock are lost. Soon the grape harvest will begin, we have to save what can be saved," says Giorgi after the initial shock.
Stefano Calatroni, owner of the winery Calatroni Vini in Santa Maria della Versa, also still has to come to terms with what happened. "This was a hailstorm that will go down in history. It's not just about economic losses, serious damage to buildings and infrastructure. There is a considerable amount of work to be done. There was water everywhere, in the house and on the farm, mud in the cellar and on the street, rows of vines are destroyed. It's a nightmare," says Calatroni.
Davide Calvi, winemaker and president of the Consorzio Club del Buttafuoco Storico: "We have experienced the effects of climate change first hand. The meteorologists are talking about a monsoon rain that has ravaged the entire region. The grape harvest is just around the corner, with 30 to 40 percent of the grapes still to be harvested. We will roll up our sleeves and do our best to ensure high quality production."
(ru / source: Adn Kronos; photo: Cantine Giorgi)
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