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The mayor of Greve in Chianti, Paolo Sottani, expresses the concerns of many about the 2017 production of the Chianti Classico, which saw the terrible drought hitting vines and vineyards.

In Greve in Chianti, the difficulties associated with a long period of drought that started last December, got even more serious in the last days of August.

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Paolo Sottani

In this scenario, wine producers are getting ready to harvest the grapes, and need water resources for all the operations connected to the grape harvest.

Because of the heat wave and the drought, the harvest in Chianti this year will start two weeks earlier than usual.

“Local wineries have already started working on the white wine – explains Mayor Sottani – and are applying resources and energies in advance for one of the key moments of wine-making, the harvest, aware that the drastic and persistent lack of rain will negatively affect production”.

“There is talk of a reduction of 40/50 percent of the amount of wine produced. This works in favour of the quality of the wine, which we think will be superior to last year”.

“We must know – he concludes – the margins of intervention, and we must step up monitoring and fully support the companies, that will be asked to inform the Municipality and Publiacqua water supplier directly of the timeline of their wine-making operations.”

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