Fewer grapes harvested than historical averages, but quality that promises to be good, with peaks of excellent, for the year. The 2024 harvest can be summarized in this way in the photograph taken by the harvest survey, carried out through a process of harmonization of the methodologies adopted by Assoenologi, Unione Italiana Vini (Uiv) and the Institute of Services for the Agricultural Food Market (Ismea) to which is added the contribution of Masaf and the regions. 41 million hectoliters are estimated for the 2024 harvest, which marks a timid recovery of Vigneto Italia after the last ultra-light year. Despite recording a +7% on the values of 2023, official forecasts indicate, the 2024 harvest in Italy is distant (-12.8%) from the production average of the last five years, missing the optimal objective estimated by wine companies between 43 and 45 million hectoliters. The now usual impact of extreme weather events, from excessive rainfall in the Center-North to drought in the South, limited the production potential. Overall, a 2024 vintage limited in quantity but overall of good quality, with several excellent peaks. The premises for signing an excellent vintage, despite the vagaries of the weather, are all there.
Harvest 2024 in Italy from North to South
The 2024 harvest survey compared to last year shows a substantial stability in the North (+0.6% the performance of the macro-region), accompanied by a significant recovery in the Center (+29.1%) and a limited increase in the South (+15.5%) which, however, are not enough to bring production back to medium-term levels.
While the North and Center deviate from the five-year averages (2019-2023) by 5.3% and 5.4% respectively, the performance of the vineyards of the South and Islands confirms a sharp decline, at -25.7%. In the global scenario, the drastic contraction of France (-18% on 2023 values) returns the world production primacy to Italy.
As regards the timing of the 2024 harvest, the transversality of the climate trend has influenced the harvest times based on the variety, typology, position and layout of the land, providing a varied scenario. In the South, where thermal stress was added to the stress from water shortage (from May), the harvest period was brought forward, as in the Center and North for the early varieties. The late varieties of the North, on the other hand, are within the seasonal averages. The drought has certainly had a negative impact on the volumes, but the temperature trend has allowed for complete phenolic maturity which represents the true added value of this winemaking year.
Geography of the Vintage 2024
Even taking into account the inhomogeneities determined by the peculiarities of the climate trend in the individual areas, in the North West we are witnessing a good recovery in Piedmont (+10% y/y), accompanied by a significant reduction in volumes in Lombardy (-30%), Valle d’Aosta (-20%) and, more mildly, in Liguria (-3%).
The situation is varied in the North-East where, to a moderate growth in Emilia-Romagna (+7%), we add the decline in Trentino-Alto Adige (-12.4%) and the stability of Veneto and Friuli-Venezia Giulia.
The situation is more homogeneous in the Center, characterized by double-digit recoveries compared to the poor 2023 production, with Marche at +25% and Tuscany, Umbria and Lazio at +30%.
In the South, however, there are significant increases especially in Abruzzo and Molise (respectively +85% and +100% after the scourge of Peronospora last year), followed by Basilicata and Campania (both at +30%), Puglia (+18%) and Calabria (+10%).
With a minus sign, however, Sicily (-16%) and Sardinia (-20%) where drought now dictates the rules.
On the regional ranking front, with 11 million hectoliters and a share equal to 27% of the Made in Italy harvest, Veneto confirms itself as the main Italian production region, followed by Emilia-Romagna and Puglia, substantially tied with about 17%. Piedmont and Sicily follow in the Top 5, closely followed by Tuscany.
