Lugana Winemakers Cut Yields as Price Negotiations and Climate Shift Harvest Date

They might start about ten days earlier, according to expert forecasts, than the initial expected start of the 2000 harvest season.

This situation has arisen due to the weather conditions this summer, characterized by above-normal temperatures and frequent rains. The first grape clusters could therefore already begin to fall from September 15th instead of September 25th, and the grapes will likely be white varieties.

In response to this situation, in recent days the Commission of the Brescia Chamber of Commerce, officially responsible for establishing the minimum and maximum prices for grapes for the current year, met and confirmed the prices for Trebbiane grapes, those used for the Lugana DOC production, set in the previous 1999 season, which are 100/135 thousand lire per quintal.

Decisions on prices and production

Prices for Trebbiane grapes destined for Lugana Superiore DOC production have not yet been established, as negotiations are still ongoing.

Meanwhile, in the lands of Lugana, producers have agreed, jointly, to establish an internal code that is more restrictive than the current regulations, which provide for a thinning of grape clusters on vines destined for Lugana Superiore DOC. This will lead to a reduced grape yield per hectare.

The official Disciplinary regulation had set the maximum allowed production at 115 quintals per hectare. However, producers have now decided to reduce that further, to improve the final product’s quality, to 30 quintals per hectare, meaning a maximum yield of 85 quintals per hectare.

Awards and recognitions

Meanwhile, a Lugana Superiore DOC received, for the first time, an award at the Douja D’Or in Asti, which celebrates its 27th edition this year, with the Lugana Superiore 1998 “Cà Molin” from Azienda Agricola Provenza.