"Challenging climate, but grape quality is good." Franciacorta begins the 202 harvest

Franciacorta officially kicked off the 2024 harvest on 12 August, following Puglia, Emilia-Romagna, and Sicily (the first region to start grape picking). Silvano Brescianini, president of the Franciacorta Consortium, spoke optimistically about this year's harvest, anticipating an excellent wine production. "We are excited to announce the start of the harvest. This year's climatic conditions have been challenging, but the winemakers have handled them with great expertise, and we are confident that the grape quality will be promising."

2024 vineyard conditions

The 2024 vintage is shaping up in a generally positive climatic context. The viticultural season began with a thermal anomaly in the early months of the year. January recorded average temperatures, followed by over two months of mild conditions, warmer than in previous years. This promoted vine growth, advancing bud break by about a week compared to the past 25 years. The mid-April frosts did not cause significant damage.

Both May and June were characterized by average temperatures (both highs and lows). The temperature drop reduced the early phenological development. The April-June quarter saw nearly 650 mm of rain, making it the wettest period since 1997, followed by 2023 with 482 mm. May, in particular, experienced 14 days of rain, compared to 20 the previous year, both exceeding the historical average of 10 days.

April, May, and June were the most challenging months for Franciacorta's winemakers, who had to protect the vines from fungal diseases, particularly downy mildew, which thrives in frequent rain and mild temperatures. Although localized damage was observed, the overall health situation remained under control. July ushered in a hot and dry period with temperatures exceeding 30°C and almost no rain, conditions that favored grape ripening. Currently, the yield is average, the sanitary condition is good, and the harvest is expected to continue until the end of August.

"The producers have worked with dedication and care, and the results will surely meet expectations. This harvest is a crucial moment not only for our production but also for enhancing our land and traditions," said the President of the Franciacorta Consortium.

Looking to the future through research

The 2024 harvest in Franciacorta will also benefit from the new Microvinification Laboratory, created in collaboration with Accademia Symposium in Rodengo Saiano. "The establishment of the microvinification laboratory, supporting the intensive R&D activities of the Franciacorta Consortium, represents a great opportunity to directly and in real-time verify the various research avenues we are pursuing to adapt the Franciacorta viticulture model to the pressures of climate change. Moreover, it is a valuable tool for sharing and disseminating new knowledge and will be a fundamental element in creating a technical wine library for verifying the long-term effectiveness of the results achieved," says Mario Falcetti, Coordinator of the Franciacorta Consortium's Research and Development working group.

Through this new project, with scientific support from UniMi (University of Milan) and FEM (Edmund Mach Foundation), a series of microvinifications will be conducted to study, through the wines, strategies for responding to climate change.