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The sparkling wine appellation Franciacorta in the Italian province of Brescia has been struck by a severe hailstorm. Winemakers report a 40-minute storm with hailstones the size of tennis balls, especially around the towns of Erbusco and Rovato. Most wineries had already harvested the majority of the grapes, but crop losses in some areas still amount to 30 percent.
“Unforeseen, severe weather events are becoming the norm,” says Arturo Ziliani from the Guido Berlucchi winery. Not only did the hail affect the harvest. “Frost in April already cost us five percent of the grapes, while the rainfall in May during the flowering period meant a further ten percent loss. Additionally, drought set in from July.” Ziliani reports that he even had to work during the hailstorm to save what was still possible: “We were just in the process of harvesting the Pinot Noir.” He estimates the total loss for the company at 30 percent.
“We have never seen anything like it, it was apocalyptic,” says winemaker Francesca Faccoli from Coccaglio about the severe storm. “We were very lucky because we had harvested our last grapes a week earlier, but our vines bear not a single leaf anymore. We hope that the plants were not permanently damaged by the hail.”
Climate change is increasingly becoming a challenge for winemakers. The first half of the year was unusually rainy in Franciacorta, with high pressure from downy mildew. While temperatures were very low in spring, the appellation suffered from drought starting in July. The consortium is working together with producers on new strategies to better protect the grapes.
(ru / Gambero Rosso, own research)