Italian
The 2025 winegrowing season in Northeast Italy is shaping up to be a decisive challenge for the sector, caught between irregular weather conditions and a complex international context
The harvest has begun cautiously, yet encouraging signs are emerging, especially for the region’s flagship varieties, starting with Glera — the heart of Prosecco — and Pinot Grigio.
Franco Passador, president and CEO of Vi.V.O. Cantine, recounted a season that was anything but linear. After an unusually cold and rainy spring, which slowed budding and fruit set, the summer shifted to hot and dry, with high peaks in June and July and sharp temperature fluctuations in August. In this scenario, Passador explained, the decisive factor was human intervention: in well-ventilated vineyards with careful yield management, it was possible to preserve both grape health and optimal ripening, despite a few episodes of hail.
In the heart of the Prosecco DOC appellation, harvesting will start slightly earlier than usual, in the first days of September. Forecasts point to a production that will remain broadly stable compared to 2024, with compact and, in most cases, healthy clusters. On the commercial front, however, optimism is tempered: exports to the United States will face 15% tariffs and a weakened dollar — two factors expected to weigh on what remains Prosecco’s leading non-European market.
The 2025 harvest, therefore, will be a matter of balance between technique, timing, and strategy. Quality looks promising, but the economic context demands caution and responsiveness. It is a reminder for the entire sector: bringing healthy, well-ripened grapes to the cellar will not be enough. Equally necessary will be the ability to convey the identity and value of Italian wine, now more than ever called to defend its role in an uncertain and competitive global market.
