The grape harvest is well underway throughout Italy's wine regions, and to label this year's crop as challenging would be a major understatement.

Torrid heat and a serious drought (especially in the north) have combined to bring about intense grapes, most of which are being picked two to three weeks ahead of schedule. Thankfully, some recent rains helped slow things down so, while 2017 may not be an outstanding vintage, it certainly will be better than the disaster some had predicted only a month ago.

The region of Piedmont offers an apt analysis of this year's unusual growing season, as Stefano Chiarlo, winemaker for Michele Chiarlo, can explain. He notes that after a very mild winter with not much snow, vegetation started a bit early in March, which was followed by cold, windy days in April. A good amount of rain fell in April and May, but from June until early September, it was a long, hot summer, especially in the province of Asti, which affected growth of Barbera and Moscato in that zone.