Italian 2009 Vintage Forecast

The Institute of Food and Farming Market Services (ISMEA) and the Italian Wine Union recently published a report according to which, it is expected that there will be a healthy vintage in Italy for the year 2009.

The estimated production levels are expected to fall a bare minimum than the yearly average of 48 million hectoliters which has been a constant level of production for the last 5 years. The 2009 vintage is going to be a quality vintage which will ensure the production of quality wines as well. This year the spring has been rather warm and rainy in the Italian country side which is surely going to have a very positive effect in the quality of the grapes. In fact forecasters have predicted 2009 to be one of the best seasons ever, one that the wine tasters are going to remember for a very long time.

Veneto in Italy is the prime vintage Prosecco producing area contributing 90% of the total amount of produce. No wonder Veneto leads the band of vintage Prosecco producers with a record 10% overall rise in production in the 2008 production. But this year, due to the adverse effects of the global economic crisis and the recession in the financial market, a substantial lowering down in the processing of grapes is what the experts are foreseeing.

Last year, the winemakers from all around Italy had produced around a rough 46 million hectoliters which may slightly rise this year irrespective of the heavy downpour across the Italian peninsula in early June. Furthermore, this time there is supposedly a scope for an early harvest due to the high temperatures in May which was evident even in North-western parts of the country. Crowning the effect 2009 saw a delayed budding due to the chilly winters which hindered the natural cycle ofa vegetation for as many as 10 days. Surely all these elements are going to have an effect on the overall production of Prosecco but still the Italian 2009 Vintage Forecast is a favorable one.

Michele Bonaventura - prosecco.net