EXCELLENT QUALITY BUT CHALLENGES CONTINUE
According to a preliminary assessment by the Consortium for the Protection of Abruzzo Wines, the quantities are unsatisfactory, although the situation is significantly better than last year.
The 2024 harvest in Abruzzo concludes with a mixed report: positive in terms of quality, but with a quantity that, while higher than the difficult 2023 marked by downy mildew, still remains below the levels recorded two years ago. A preliminary evaluation is provided by Nicola Dragani, president of the technical committee of the Consortium for the Protection of Abruzzo Wines.
This year, the grape harvest began in many areas as early as the first days of August, “not only for the bases of sparkling wines, for which there is a tendency to anticipate the harvest,” clarifies Dragani, “but also generally for still white wines.” This anticipation was necessary due to an exceptionally hot summer. “With more than two months of excessive temperatures, the ripening of the grapes came much earlier than usual. The necessity for producers was to safeguard the quality of the product and the freshness of the wines,” continues Dragani. “Fortunately, having not experienced heavy rainfall, the bunches sustained no damage and remained intact, which bodes well for an excellent final result.”
On one hand, therefore, the quality is very promising, but on the other hand, the quantity does not satisfy the producers. “Compared to 2023, a year when downy mildew caused an 80% reduction compared to 2022, we are seeing an average decline of 35% to 45% compared to two harvests ago,” emphasizes Dragani. “This trend should prompt reflection and encourage producers to find viable alternatives, perhaps with the support of enological technicians to better understand market demands and diversify production.”
Alessandro Nicodemi, president of the Consortium, confirms this analysis: “The quality of the grapes harvested during this harvest campaign is truly excellent. However, the quantity is unfortunately still very low. This does not discourage us; rather, it pushes us to continue working on the project to promote and enhance Abruzzo wine in Italy and abroad, aiming to further increase the reputation and value of regional products in the market.”