“This is not the annus horribilis of wine. And I’ll explain why.” And let’s not forget precision viticulture.
We reach Attilio Scienza by phone at his home in Trentino. In Palermo there is apocalyptic heat and the mercury column touches 48 degrees, which has never happened. In Trento it is raining and 25 degrees. It doesn’t feel like July. No one can rejoice. Let’s hear from Scienza, the president of the National Wine Committee, but more importantly the university professor and viticulture researcher to understand what is happening in this year that could become a watershed year for Italian wine because of what is happening. The devastating downy mildew, a little bit everywhere, hailstorms in the north, drought in the south, and then let’s add the slowdown on consumption, the war, inflation. All that and more.
Science starts with natural phenomena. He quickly warns, “Let’s not talk about annus horribilis. Certainly, there is every indication of a very difficult year for wine but all is not lost. On the contrary. I say we should not be frightened. Sometimes human beings think they have everything in hand and manage everything with knowledge, awareness, strength and willpower and instead it is not enough because nature is what it is. Blight, for example, is the fault of humans. Those who treated with products that work and in the right time have no problems. Those who were not timely have big problems. If it rains, the defense treatment should be done as soon as possible. Downy mildew is deadly. The damage will come out now. The fungus enters the cluster and shows up during veraison and the damage is done on the cluster not on the leaves. Apparently no symptoms can be seen. The real damage will be seen starting now.”
“Downy mildew? For organic growers, I see no solution…”
With the professor, we then try to make an argument. Pointing out some moves to try to find a solution to blight, hailstorms and drought. Science immediately premised. “The remedies are there but in the case of downy mildew only for those who grow vines by the conventional method. For those who grow vines under the organic regime, I see no possible solutions. Those who are on organic make a choice. And they put into account that they can lose the crop. And I think for them copper is not enough.” So what are the moves? Science answers:
- To think that with climate change the disease conditions have changed. Downy mildew has found favorable conditions and the fight must be changed.
- We have the tools to prevent it. How? With the tools of precision viticulture. With current techniques, with algorithms we can predict the incubation time, the time it will take to occur, and then we can identify the right time for treatment. You have to treat before the fungus enters the leaf. Let’s get one thing straight. The old 10 10 10 rule, that is, shoot length, millimeters of rainfall and degrees of temperature, no longer works.
- There are the new and effective synthetic products that are fine. Copper is fine now when there is no downy mildew. In fact, I am not talking about those who go organic. That is a choice.
- Resorting more and more to tolerant varieties. All the crossbreeding done over the years to have resistance to the disease, what good is it otherwise? The northern regions, Veneto and Friuli in particular, already have some of these varieties registered among the approved ones. So go ahead without hesitation.”
“On climate cycles we have poor memory…”
And if on drought, the professor cites the adoption of rootstocks in the vineyards that are going to be planted because they are more effective in counteracting water scarcity, on hail there is little you can do. “Either you rely on nets, which are very expensive, or you rely on insurance. But insurance policies, you know, are passive defense tools. They restore you financially but you certainly don’t recover the grapes. But state intervention to cover the insurance premium seems to me to be an additional support for those affected by natural disasters.” Science warns, “A lot of hail? Likely. But on climate cycles we have poor memory. Adverse weather phenomena have always been there. But back then the consequences were different. Everything has changed.
- the economic impact of bad weather today is greater than in the past. The world was simpler.
- We spread viticulture enormously even in unsuitable territories. We challenged nature. We planted even where there were no suitable territories to plant vineyards. Wine has become a huge business for everyone. And if it rains a lot in an area unsuitable for vineyards, the damage will be enormous. Some things need to be rethought. And above all, don’t give up. We have the tools. We need to turn back and look to the future.”
The discourse broadens. We talk about consumption and immediately Professor Scienza intervenes. “Sparkling wines are in crisis. Prosecco is losing numbers and consumption. And reds are not doing well. Consumption is falling because there is little money and there is fear anyway. People don’t buy wine anymore. In Italy and also in the United States and Germany.” Then he adds, “We need to understand that wine communication needs to be changed. The one that has always been used no longer works. New tools must be sought, especially for young people who are looking for different types of wine. Wines that have a lot of alcohol are doing worse than others. Take Amarone, it is not doing well because it is too alcoholic.”
In short, there is work to be done because anthropological situations, people’s relationships, and consumption habits are changing. “The variables at play,” Science concludes, “are many, and all this makes it complex to find solutions as happens in perfect storms. And then the general climate of distrust does not help. One drinks wine when one is serene. Wine is sharing. The war in Ukraine and inflation do not help. We need to think about new viticulture. But we must not be pessimistic but realistic and responsive. The solutions are there.
