A worker picks grapes for harvest in the vineyards of Castelcerino, above the village of Soave, Northern Italy.
Source: AP Photo/Martino Masotto
August 11, 2018
Italian Wine Harvest Begins
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The Italian wine grape harvest season has started with Pinot and Chardonnay grapes in the northern Lombardy's Franciacorta region, with experts anticipating a better year after an especially weak 2017.
The Coldiretti agricultural lobby said Friday that it's expecting a 15 percent increase in wine production this season to 4.6 billion liters (1.2 billion gallons), from 4 billion liters (over 1 billion gallons) last year.
The higher production this year is due to a greater abundance of rain in key regions, while last year heat and drought combined for one of the lowest post-war yields.
Coldiretti forecast a 5.9 percent increase in wine exports this year. In 2017, export revenues reached 6 billion euros ($6.8 billion).
