THE CONSORTIUM FOR THE PROTECTION OF SICILIAN DOC WINES CONCLUDES THE 2023 HARVEST

The "hundred days" of the Sicilian harvest are coming to an end and the final considerations of the Consortium for the Protection of DOC Sicilia Wines are overall positive: "we expect a high quality of the grapes - says the President of the Consortium Antonio Rallo - made possible also thanks to the careful and careful attention to the vineyards by Sicilian winemakers during this very complex vintage from a climatic point of view". While confirming the forecast data relating to the production drop of over 40% due to the climatic excesses of late spring and early summer and the unprecedented attack of downy mildew, Sicilian winemakers predict excellent quality of the wines. The black grapes seem to deserve a special mention, given that the berries, remaining small in size, guarantee greater intensity and aromatic concentration.

The "longest harvest in Italy", which began at the end of July starting from the western coast of the island and gradually moved towards the south-east and then ended in late October on the highest mountains, took place regularly also favored by a positive start to autumn from a climatic point of view.

“Our winemakers – continues President Rallo – certainly found themselves having to deal with a challenging vintage where we had to face many of the variables that nature can manifest: however, the experience and expertise of the Sicilia DOC producers has allowed once again to bring home a result of absolute quality". A rainy autumn and a winter with less rainfall were followed by a cold spring, with some even extreme rainfall events and then a very dry and arid summer. To face the difficulties of this 2023 harvest, the water reserves accumulated during the spring rainfall proved fundamental. The producers of the DOC Sicilia with organically cultivated vineyards, after such an agricultural year, are naturally those who have suffered the most from the difficulties.

“However, the attack of downy mildew – underlines President Rallo – was more concentrated on the bunches, so that there was a lower production but a better ripening of the grapes, thanks precisely to the quantity of the leaves”.

CONSORTIUM FOR THE PROTECTION OF SICILY DOC WINES

The Consortium for the Protection of DOC Sicilia Wines (siciliadoc.wine) came to life in 2012, with the aim of promoting DOC Sicilia wines, with actions aimed at increasing the visibility of a brand symbol of Made in Italy, as well as protecting the product with supervisory actions to protect consumers and producers.

Almost 8,000 winemakers and around 500 bottlers are promoters of the Controlled Designation of Origin, a useful recognition to represent them but also to enhance and safeguard the island's wine production. Sicily is the largest organic wine area in Italy: it represents 30% of the national surface area and with its over 42 thousand hectares it also holds the record among the regions that practice sustainable viticulture, subject to organic or integrated production regulations.