Record heat, beautiful grapes, too much wine: Italy’s Piedmont faces a harvest paradox

AGLIANO TERME, Sept 27 — Vineyard owners in Italy’s Piedmont region are reveling in a record-breaking harvest, even as scorching temperatures pose challenges. Despite the extreme heat, many are producing less wine due to trade issues and shifting consumer preferences. In Agliano Terme, where vineyards stretch for miles, a dozen workers were picking the final Barbera grapes as Filippo Mobrici, 59, head of the Barbera d’Asti Consortium, declared it a "five-star harvest" both in quantity and quality.

With an average temperature of 21.6°C throughout the summer, the summer of 2026 was the hottest on record in this northern Italian region. The cold winter and early spring also helped the grapes mature properly. Winemakers protected the grapes from the sun by keeping more foliage on than usual. However, Piedmont has overproduced wine in recent years, leading growers to cut production this year.

Barbera d’Asti producers have reduced the collected volume from nine tonnes to 8.5 tonnes per hectare. To cope with excess stock, some are converting wine to vinegar. The Wine Union of Italy is urging production to align with market needs and discouraging new vineyard plantings. Filippo Mobrici, despite the extreme heat, is not considering uprooting vines as they represent their culture and land.

Elsewhere, 41-year-old Luca Garberoglio in San Marzano Oliveto is also pleased with a fine harvest but notes that stocks are "manageable." The taste of Barbera d’Asti is also evolving due to climate change, with notes of blackberry and blackcurrant becoming more prominent.