Some producers may still be working on the last few bunches, but for nearly all wineries, the 2026 harvest has now entered its final phase. It is time, therefore, to try to interpret what this season tells us.
Has climate change altered the timing of the harvest? Judging by what has happened in recent years, the answer seems to be yes. Compared to a few decades ago, the harvest has gradually moved earlier in many areas.
But there is another aspect, perhaps even more interesting: not all grape varieties and not all regions are reacting in the same way.
Certain combinations of grape variety, environment, and viticultural practices do indeed appear to demonstrate a particular ability to adapt to new climatic conditions. This is the case—albeit with different characteristics—for Lambrusco di Sorbara in Emilia-Romagna, Chiavennasca in Valtellina, and the varieties of Valpolicella, particularly Corvina.
This does not mean that these regions are immune to the effects of climate change. On the contrary. It means that, under certain conditions, these varieties and environments are demonstrating a resilience that allows them to preserve the balance, acidity, ripeness, and health of the grapes.
Lambrusco di Sorbara
In Modena, the trend toward an earlier grape harvest is now evident. As Paltrinieri explains, above-average temperatures and the increased frequency of seasons marked by heat and low rainfall have altered the rhythm of viticulture.
“If October used to be the month of the harvest, now it’s September—and it has been for quite some time. For about five years.”
Yet, looking further back in time, the picture becomes less straightforward. On Modena’s cathedral, in the bas-reliefs depicting the months of the year and traditional agricultural tasks, September is depicted with a man pressing grapes, while October is dedicated to racking.
This image raises an interesting question: Is what we interpret today as climate change always and only an entirely new phenomenon, or is it also a return to conditions that have already occurred in the past?
Beyond this historical reflection, one fact is clear: in recent years, climatically “normal” seasons have become harder to identify. Periods of prolonged heat, concentrated rainfall, droughts, and hailstorms have altered the context in which growers must decide when to harvest.
Most wineries therefore had to bring forward their harvest. But that wasn’t necessarily the case for Sorbara.
The heat did have an effect, causing a slight reduction in acidity, but it didn’t necessarily require a drastic advance in the harvest.
This is a significant example of how what holds true in many wine-growing regions is not necessarily applicable everywhere. Climate change is a widespread phenomenon, but a vineyard’s response can be extremely local. And in the case of Sorbara, the variety appears to have retained a good capacity for adaptation, allowing it to continue pursuing the balance necessary for producing the region’s wines.
Chiavennasca
Another interesting example comes from Valtellina, where Chiavennasca—the local name for Nebbiolo—grows in an alpine environment characterized by unique soil and climate conditions.
Valtellina, nestled between the Rhaetian Alps and the Orobic Alps, is a region where altitude and temperature fluctuations can play an important role in maintaining the balance of the grapes.
According to Simone Nera, the 2026 vintage has so far shown favorable conditions, especially in terms of disease resistance.
The season was marked by dry weather and low rainfall, conditions that promoted the health of the grapes and limited pest and disease attacks. The drought was felt most acutely in the Sassella area, but without compromising the overall balance of ripening.
Daily temperature fluctuations also played an important role, particularly significant at this stage of the season.
It is also interesting to compare this with the past. According to the producer, in previous years the phenolic ripening of Chiavennasca was not always harmonious. In recent years, however, the harvested grapes have shown greater balance in several respects.
The harvest timing also confirms a certain evolution: today, the harvest takes place on average about a week earlier than in some past vintages, whereas before the pandemic, it rarely began before the first week of October.
This earlier timing is evident, but it does not, on its own, tell the whole story of the season’s quality.
In Valtellina, too, the calendar seems to be only part of the story. Chiavennasca’s ability to maintain acidity and balance, combined with the characteristics of the mountain environment, plays a key role in adapting to new climatic conditions.
Corvina, and more...
Another example comes from Valpolicella, where Villa Spinosa officially kicked off the grape harvest on September 7, 2026.
This date is in line with what has been recorded over the past five years and offers an interesting perspective: while the harvest is generally earlier today than it was 20 or 30 years ago, the start of the 2026 harvest does not necessarily represent an anomaly compared to the region’s more recent history.
It is precisely this distinction that is important. Climate change is altering the timing and methods of viticulture, but this does not mean that every vintage must necessarily be earlier than the previous one.
In Valpolicella, another factor comes to the fore: the ability of historically suitable areas to adapt to new climatic conditions.
The hilly areas benefit from altitude, sun exposure, daily temperature ranges, and soil characteristics that help mitigate the effects of higher temperatures. Added to this is a heritage of grape varieties selected over the centuries.
È il caso di Corvina Veronese, Corvinone e Rondinella, varietà che rappresentano il patrimonio ampelografico della Valpolicella e che, secondo Villa Spinosa, stanno mostrando una buona capacità di risposta alle nuove condizioni.
“Areas that have always been suited to viticulture are demonstrating a great ability to adapt to new climatic conditions.”
This is a concept that also holds true in the other regions studied: there is no single response to climate change. The vine’s reaction depends on the variety, the region, the elevation, the aspect, the soils, and, of course, the winemaker’s choices.
Valle d'Aosta: Alessandro Jans and the role of the pergola
In the Aosta Valley, Alessandro Jans identifies prolonged periods of high pressure, drought, and high temperatures—even at night—as some of the most significant climate changes of recent years. The most critical conditions occur between June and August and can affect the physiology of the vine, causing irregular veraison, a rapid decrease in acidity, and incomplete ripening of the grape seeds.
In this context, the Aosta Valley pergola plays an important role—a training system that, according to Alessandro, has proven to be resilient and efficient. Its structure provides shade for the grape clusters, limiting sunscald, and ensures good exposure for the leaves. Furthermore, the development of deep root systems promotes resilience during periods of drought.
Vineyard management is also crucial: proper thinning helps achieve more balanced ripening.
The experience in the Aosta Valley thus confirms that viticulture’s ability to adapt depends not only on the grape variety and the territory, but also on traditional training systems, which can prove to be valuable resources for coping with new climatic conditions. From this perspective, the value of vision also emerges: humanity’s ability to look back at its own history and the territory in which it operates, recognizing its identity and resources, in order to interpret the present and envision the future. It is this same attitude that characterizes the winemaker, who is called upon to engage with their personal history and the memory of the place where they work, without giving up the possibility of charting new paths. Tradition and innovation thus become two complementary dimensions of a viticulture capable not only of adapting to climate change but also of building a future for generations to come.
Not just early harvests
Looking at Lambrusco, Chiavennasca, and Corvina, a more nuanced picture emerges than the simple equation “warmer climate = earlier harvest.”
Earlier harvests are a real and well-documented phenomenon in many wine-growing regions. But it is equally important to observe how different grape varieties manage to maintain their balance amid changing climatic conditions.
In the face of climate change, the vine’s ability to adapt does not seem to depend solely on the extent of the climate change, but also on how well a variety and the region where it grows are able to respond to that change.
